A WOMAN who was raped when she was just 13 was unable to tell anyone about her ordeal for eight years.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had gone with a friend to Leon Totten’s house in March, 2008 and been given what she thought was a soft drink.

But the drink had been spiked with alcohol or another drug and when it took effect Totten, who was 17, took the 13-year-old upstairs and raped her. Even when she tried to get away he pulled her back. Totten’s victim was found wandering the streets afterwards and escorted home by strangers to her worried parents who had called the police and reported her missing.

READ HIS VICTIM'S POWERFUL STATEMENT IN FULL HERE 

She stayed silent about what really happened until 2016.

Totten, aged 27, of Vale Avenue, Stoneclough was found guilty at Bolton Crown Court on Tuesday and sentenced yesterday to nine years in jail.

He will serve half in custody said Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson, and the other half out on licence in the community. He must tell the police where he is living for the rest of his life.

Judge Clayson told the court how the victim “began to feel really drunk and later she couldn’t speak or walk properly” after Totten gave her a drink.

Judge Clayson said: “He took her upstairs and raped her in the front bedroom. She was a virgin and suffered great pain. At one point she managed to wriggle free and Totten pulled her back and despite her protest raped her again.”

Before Totten was sentenced, his victim, now in her 20s, read out an emotional statement about the impact the rape had had on her life.

She told the court she felt “dirty, embarrassed, ashamed” after she had been raped and “tried not to give it a thought” and was “in denial” about the incident.

Before Totten was sentenced Richard Orme, defence, spoke about Totten’s service for his country with the Fusiliers and his training with the Marines in Liverpool.

Mr Orme said: “He maintains he’s not guilty of this offence but he must respect the jury’s verdict.” He paid tribute to the victim for reading her own personal statement but said it was his duty to balance that for his client.

Mr Orme said: “The victim informed her GP she had coped with it but the past nine months had been struggling. She informed her GP it doesn’t affect her ability to function. She can get a bit down.”

Judge Clayson summed up and noted the counselling and “psychological injury” the victim had been through. He said if Totten had been an adult at the time of the offence he would have handed down an 11 year sentence.