A man has been jailed for the repeated rape of a child.

Eric Lakidi raped the victim multiple times between 1996 and 1999 at residential addresses in Enfield and Barnet, Harrow Crown Court heard.

In November 2016, the victim came forward to report the historic abuse to the North London Child Abuse Investigation Team.

She was able to give a detailed account of the incidents that occurred, at times with family members present in the same address.

On June,1, 2021, Lakidi was found guilty of three counts of rape against a child by a unanimous jury after a trial in May.

The 43-year-old, of Epsom, Surrey, was sentenced on Friday, June 25.

He was given 13 years in jail and will be placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Detective Sergeant Virginia Condren, the investigating officer, said: "Lakidi took advantage of the trust of a vulnerable child to commit and hide his odious crimes. The tenacity and bravery shown by the young woman in this case can only be described as admirable.

"Her drive to achieve justice for herself has never faltered. Despite the daunting steps she has gone through to reach this result she has only ever shown strength and determination to see this through.

"I can only hope that today is a significant step in her closing the door on the fear and trauma she has experienced, and that her courage in coming forward serves as encouragement to others who have also suffered abuse of any kind, current or historic, to have confidence in the police, CPS and the courts to bring these offenders to justice.

"I would also like to commend and thank her siblings for their unwavering support of her through this entire process."