Norfolk man convicted of raping child in train toilets

Daniel Russell, 38, had been on trial accused of two counts of rape against the girl - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - in toilets on services between Ely and Norwich and Norwich and Great Yarmouth.

Norwich Crown Court heard the alleged offences against the girl happened on journeys between November 28, 2015, and January 20, 2021.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest) Russell denied both offences as well as two further charges: causing a child to watch a sexual act and making indecent images of children.

But on Thursday, after just three hours and 31 minutes of deliberations, the eight men and four women on the jury found Russell unanimously guilty of all four charges.

Russell, who wore a grey T-shirt in the dock, showed little emotion as the verdicts were announced.

He simply nodded following each guilty verdict and took a sip of water from a bottle before being led away to the cells.

Daniel Russell at an earlier hearing (Image: Newsquest) Judge David Pugh adjourned sentence until January 24 to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared looking specifically at Russell's dangerousness.

Judge Pugh told Andrew Oliver, who represented Russell, if he came to the conclusion his client was dangerous there would be "consequences as to when he could be released from what will inevitably be a lengthy term of custody".

The trial, which started earlier this month, heard Russell, who the victim described as a "stinky bum bum head" in a police interview, threatened to kill the foals of a horse she had seen at an animal sanctuary if she did not do what he asked.

Daniel Russell (Image: Supplied) Duncan O'Donnell, prosecuting, said while on the train Russell, for his own sexual gratification, "assaulted her sexually and showed her indecent videos".

Jurors heard evidence from the girl who said Russell, of Tolhouse Street, Yarmouth, had done things to her "a lot more than lots" and maybe "a jillion times".

Detective Sergeant Mark Carrier, from Norfolk Constabulary's Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “The victim in this case is one of the most vulnerable in society and had to endure things a child should never have to go through.

"I hope she can in time re-build her life and move forward knowing she is now safe from Russell."