A rapist who kidnapped a teenage girl was told by a judge yesterday that he would be “a very old man” before he was released from jail.

Alan Weston, 49, from Stockport, chose his 15-year-old victim at random last October after driving around Wrexham, North Wales.

He spotted the schoolgirl walking alone, stopped and bundled her into the back of his van.

As Judge Stephen Clarke jailed him for life, he told Weston — who admitted abduction, rape and attempted rape — that he would continue to pose a considerable threat to young women.

The court was told that Weston, also known as Alan Grant, had been jailed in 1991 for raping a woman at gunpoint in her West Sussex home. He served a 12-year sentence for that crime.

It emerged that he forced the girl into his van only six weeks after supervision for the previous conviction was lifted.

Ed Beltrami, for the prosecution, told Mold Crown Court that Weston’s victim had been walking home at about 4.30pm when a white van pulled up. As she walked past she heard Weston ask her: “Can you help with this?” He then dragged her in through the side door.

Inside the van, which had a mattress on the floor, he threatened to stab her in the neck if she did not do what he wanted. He tied her up, drove to a secluded spot and subjected her to a lengthy sexual assault.

At one point he told his victim that he was taking her home but stopped the van and assaulted her again at knife point.

She was eventually released in Bangor, more than 70 miles away. She told the police that she had been raped a number of times.

Andrew Jebb, for the defence, said that his client appreciated that he would be a very old man before he was released. He would remain in prison for at least seven years before he could be considered for parole.

Weston was arrested by Derbyshire police near the county border with Greater Manchester three days after the attack.Officers from six forces across North Wales and the north of England had been searching for him. Officers took the unusual step of publicly naming the man to whom they wanted to speak.

Judge Clarke told Weston, who admitted that he liked young girls: “Your behaviour certainly manifests quite clearly a perverted, what might be called psychopathic, tendency. If you are at large you are likely to remain a danger to women for an indefinite period of time.”

He also praised the victim for showing remarkable courage in what must have been a terrifying ordeal. “One can only hope that gradually the memory of this will fade but I imagine it will remain with her for a long, long time.

“She was simply unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was simply walking down the street when she was snatched off it and the nightmare began,” he said.

The victim’s father said in a statement that his daughter was still receiving counselling. She had undergone a “very traumatic experience” and was still suffering flashbacks. “It has been a very bad time for us and we are glad it is all over,” he said.

“This man got what he deserves, and we have now got to try to help my daughter to get on with her life.

“This has certainly brought us closer as a family. We all do a lot more together.”

The judge also ordered a £750 reward to be paid to a passing motorist who saw Weston drag the girl into his van and noted down its registration number. He gave chase but lost it in traffic.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Donor organ allowed child’s own heart to heal
• Michael Jackson: Not the final chapter
• Brüno toned down for 15 rating