Child rapist Anthony Shackell from Calcot is locked up to await sentence

A CHILD rapist is awaiting sentence after jurors saw through his lies.

Police first investigated Anthony Shackell’s wicked crimes years ago - but they did not have enough evidence to charge him at the time.

The former social club treasurer’s fate was eventually sealed by the brave testimony of an eight-year-old girl who he molested more recently.

The girl’s father had gone to police - and detectives re-opened the original case, leading to this month’s jury trial at Reading Crown Court.

Shackell, now aged 81 and who was living at Mey Close, Calcot, denied 18 counts involving offences of child rape, sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching involving girls.

He was convicted on all but two of the lesser charges following a week-long trial.

Charles Ward-Jackson, prosecuting, had told jurors Shackell gained access to one victim and initially would touch her breasts over her clothing.

That progressed to serious, penetrative sexual assaults, the court heard.

Mr Shackell threatened to rape a member of her family if she did not comply, the court heard.

Mr Ward-Jackson said: “He pushed her onto the bed, forced her legs apart, got on top of her and raped her.

“She was struggling and tried to push him off…she was crying - yet he claimed she enjoyed it.”

She said Mr Shackell then threatened to rape a member of her family and she had made him promise not to if she co-operated.

The witness, now an adult, told the court: “I asked him to promise me he wouldn’t do it to them; I made him promise.”

Nevertheless, she added, when Mr Shackell began raping her, she fought back.

The woman told jurors: “I tried to kick him; I said ‘no’ - I asked him to stop.

“I said ‘please don’t do this; I was crying.”

Afterward, she claimed Mr Shackell told her: “That was good - we’ll do that again.”

Mr Shackell behaved in a similar manner to another girl, raping her repeatedly, the court heard.

Eventually, the two victims contacted one another and went to the police, resulting in the original, stalled police investigation.

Shackell might have gone to his grave with his crimes unpunished, but for more recent offending - this time involving the eight-year-old.

The girl told police: “He put his hand in my pants and touched my privates and I didn’t like it.”

She said she pulled his hand out and said ‘stop,’ before bursting into tears and telling her family what had allegedly happened.

Her father went to police, who reopened their original investigation and, this time, Shackell was charged.

During the trial he tried to convince jurors that all three victims were liars and that his erectile disfunction meant he had to be innocent.

Viagra, prescribed to treat the condition, gave him a headache and the prosecutor simply had “an evil mind,” he claimed.

Following the jury’s verdicts, Judge Alan Blake asked for pre-sentence reports.

He meanwhile denied Shackell bail and remanded him in custody.