Depraved predator who raped his grandaughter and gave her abortion when she was 12 dies in prison
A TWISTED predator who raped his grandaughter and gave her an abortion when she was just 12 has died in prison.
Raymond Hodges preyed the youngster from the age of five after offering to babysit while her mum was work.
He was jailed for 25 years in 2017 after being convicted of 24 offences against Charlotte Wade, who bravely waived her anonymity to speak out about the abuse.
It was today revealed Hodges, 78, died in February while serving his sentence at HMP Usk in Monmouthshire.
His cause of death was given as natural causes after he suffered a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Hodges was Charlotte’s stepdad’s dad and would travel to her home in Wales once a month to stay with her.
The monster raped her for the first time when she was six after he moved from Essex to be closer to the family.
When Charlotte became pregnant aged just 12, Hodges’ pinned her down and performed an excruciating abortion himself.
She bravely reported him to the police in 2016 after suffering years of horror abuse.
The following year, Hodges denied all but four charges against him – meaning Charlotte was forced to relive the ordeal at a trial.
He was found guilty of the remaining 20 charges and later jailed for 25 years.
As he was sentenced, Judge Philip Harris-Jenkins said: “There was a long history of beatings, scaldings, and burns done in order to subject her to your control and there was further evidence of sexual pleasure you took from domineering this poor child.”
Speaking in 2019, Charlotte told how she “fell to the floor” sobbing when she discovered her evil step-grandad had been convicted.
She added: “Speaking out has helped me move forward with my life – and I want to urge others to do the same.
“My sick grandad may have deprived me of a happy childhood, but I refuse to let him ruin my future.
“I’m slowing piecing my life back together. And it helps to know that he’s rotting behind bars – and that my evidence helped to put him there.”