A man who repeatedly raped a vulnerable young girl, starting when she was just eight years old, has been jailed for 18 years.

Stephen West, 56, who has a history of violence, used threats and intimidation to force the child to submit to his perverted ways, saying he would kill her dogs if she told.

West took every opportunity to meet up with the child as she walked her pets close to her home in Lyneham.

He denied any wrongdoing but was convicted of rape and other sex offences following a trial at Swindon Crown Court.

The jury of eight men and four women were told how the family friend committed the offences between June 1997 and June 2005.

Giving evidence the victim, now in her twenties, said that when she was about eight she would walk her dogs in fields near her home.

She said the first time he raped her she was in a field in the summer when she bumped into him when he was smoking and he grabbed her.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told the court: "She said if she screamed he tightened his grip round her neck.

"She said he told her if she told anybody about what was happening he would kill her family and he would kill her dogs."

West had a number of convictions for violence which the victim was aware of, the court was told, which added to her fear that he would go through with his threats.

West, now of Old Brewery Lane, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, was convicted of six counts of rape, three of indecent assault and one of gross indecency with a child.

Many of the charges were multi-incident counts meaning they took place more than once. He was cleared of one charge of rape and one of indecent assault.

Peter Corrigan, defending, said his client still maintained his denials that the offences took place.

He said that he suffered from many medical conditions including having operations to remove cancerous tumours and heart problems.

Jailing him, Recorder Ian Lawrie QC said: "You have been convicted after a trial on, in my judgement, the most compelling evidence, which was given by the victim.

"You have been convicted of offences of rape in indecent assault spanning seven years.

"What makes it particularly aggravating is it started when she was a mere eight years old and continued until she was 15-and-a-half.

"You took advantage of her because she was vulnerable on a number of levels.

"You coupled this persistent offending with threats of violence. You repeatedly threatened to kill her family and her dog. She put particular attachment to her pets.

"That is how you were able to persuade her and continue to persuade her to have sex. You used threats of violence force and on some occasions used violence.

"You are a man who can use violence to suit your purpose."

Mr Lawrie said of his victim: "She has no doubt suffered a significant and long lasting effect from the trauma.

"She is a broken woman emotionally and psychologically: the real blame for that must lie with you and your behaviour. If she ever manages to surmount the trauma it will be surprising."

West has to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.