A SCHOOLGIRL raped by a ‘vile’ predator had her self-worth destroyed and is still picking up the pieces of her life, those close to her have said.

The young girl was assaulted in Totton by delivery driver Denis Kadena.

The attack left her afraid to go outside on her own and has ‘shrunk’ her confidence.

Kadena, 34, was yesterday jailed at Southampton Crown Court for 11 years with a four-year extended licence for his ‘predatory’ attack.

Kadena raped the victim in the back of his van after taking her to a ‘secluded area’, in what has been described as a ‘horrific ordeal.’

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READ MORE: Delivery driver jailed for raping schoolgirl after ‘tricking’ her into his van

In a statement read out in court, the victim said she is ‘so scared’ she will be attacked again.

She said: “Some days I just want to crawl under a table and hide. He took something special from me.

“I am slowly starting to build myself back up. Now I am hoping I can put this behind me and try to get better.”

In a separate statement, a person close to the girl said: “She now has a long road ahead of her in order to build her confidence.

“I don’t know how to express my feelings for what she is going through for something she did not deserve.”

Another described her as ‘a frightened little girl.’

They said: “She relies very heavily on her phone to make her feel safe.

“She never manages to be out on her own for more than 10 minutes.”

Daily Echo: The van driven by Denis Kadena (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)The van driven by Denis Kadena (Image: Hampshire Constabulary) (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)

Kadena’s ‘heinous actions’ were subject to a ‘robust’ investigation by Hampshire Constabulary.

Detective Constable Marie Leather said "vile" Kadena was caught by a details police investigation that brought him to justice for his "heinous actions".

She said: “It resulted in allowing us to bring this vile crime to the forefront of the criminal justice system via the courts.”

She said extensive lines of enquiry were carried out by the force’s investigations teams. Jurors were told that Kadena lied and lied throughout.

Officers collected witness statements, underwent house-to-house enquiries, and carried out extensive CCTV scoping.

This included gathering ‘vast quantities’ of Ring doorbell footage from residents and businesses.

DC Leather said: “A stranger rape is an unusual and uncommon occurrence across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; however, we understand that rape and other sexual offences are one of the most devastating crimes a person can survive and that’s why we prioritise it.

“We take these reports very seriously – exploring all relevant lines of enquiry and ensuring that we gather sufficient evidence promptly in order to aid our investigations.

“On this occasion, there were challenges around sourcing all relevant CCTV footage, however, we persevered and obtained appropriate footage as part of our investigation.”

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She added: “The victim is a young girl who has experienced a horrific ordeal at the hands of Kadena and she has been incredibly brave and shown great courage in supporting a prosecution which has led us to Kadena being imprisoned for a significant period of time.”

The victim has been commended for her bravery in reporting the incident to police.

Detective Inspector Claire Shawley said: “If it wasn’t for her bravery, then we would not have been in a position to achieve the result that we have.

“Kadena would still be out on the streets as a risk to others.

“She has been incredibly brave given the trauma she has experienced – especially at such a young age."

Sentencing at court on Thursday, Judge Christopher Parker KC told Kadena: “Your behaviour was opportunistic and there was a predatory element to what you did."

Kadena denied the charges but the court was told he now "takes full responsibility".