The
rapist brother of reality star Karen Danczuk, who attacked her and two other
victims, was today jailed for 15 years.
Paedophile
Michael Burke, 38, was found guilty of a string of sex attacks over an 18-year
period.
He
began molesting younger sister Karen when she was just nine years old.
His
abuse began with inappropriate touching, but this eventually turned into a
campaign of rape at their family home in Greater Manchester.
Karen,
33, the former wife of MP Simon Danczuk, previously revealed she was driven to
consider suicide as a result of her brother's sickening abuse.
She
said on Loose Women earlier this month after her brother's conviction: "I
knew it was wrong because it didn't feel right.
"I
couldn't ask someone, it's not like I could tell someone at school, so I
thought this was what everyone went through."
When
asked what she would say to her younger self, Karen replied: "I look at
young Karen as a third person now, as a result of my therapy.
"But
I'd tell her, 'we did it'. I wish I could give her a hug, to be honest."
Burke
was found guilty of eight rapes of three victims between 1992 and 2010. He
collapsed in the dock when the jury returned its verdict.
Karen
gave evidence during his trial at Manchester Crown Court.
Jurors
heard how he would tickle her during games of hide-and-seek at their home in
Middleton.
Burke
then began creeping into her room naked as Karen slept and pleasuring himself
over her.
Eventually,
he turned to rape.
The
sickening attacks only stopped when Karen plucked up the courage to confront
him as they washed dishes together at their family home.
After
the verdict came in, Karen described her brother as a "monster" that
she wants to "rot in hell".
Prosecutor
Peter Wright QC told the court: "These women were objectified. They were
objects of pleasure.
"They
were demeaned and abused and for many years they remained silent.
"They
felt powerless in the face of this man's conduct but each of them have now
found the strength to speak up and accuse this man of the abuse they have
suffered."
Burke
was convicted by a majority verdict of raping his first victim, who was aged
between nine and eleven at the time, on three separate occasions when he was a
teenager.
But
he was cleared of three other charges of rape against the first complainant,
including one which claimed that the victim had been raped "more than 20
times".
Burke
was found guilty of four rapes of the second complainant when she was aged 12
or 13.
He
was cleared of two further rapes, one attempted rape and one indecent assault
against her but convicted of one charge of buggery.
Burke
was convicted of one rape against a woman of a similar age to him between
January 2008 and March 2010.
He
was cleared of two other rapes against the same complainant in the same period.
Burke
denied every committing a crime and accused his victims of concocting a
"conspiracy".
He
told jurors: "They are trying to bolster their stories, which is why I am
sat here now. No-one who knows me would recognize that person."
Karen
has two children with MP Simon. The couple separated in summer last year.
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