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A vile child rapist has been pictured for the first time after being jailed for 33 years. Michael Lovelace, 49, was convicted of 17 counts of serious sexual offences, including six counts of rape and five counts of causing a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

His heinous crimes were carried out against two people in Bordon and Southsea, in Hampshire, between 2012 and 2023. Lovelace, of Tallis Gardens in Basingstoke, was first reported to police in March 2023 before an investigation was launched. He has since been found guilty of 17 offences by a jury at Winchester Crown Court.

The offences included:

• Five counts of causing / inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity - no penetration
• Assault of a child under 13 by penetration
• Two counts of Sexual Assault a girl under 13 by touching
• Two counts of Offender 18 or over cause a child under 13 to watch / look at an image of sexual activity
• Rape of a child under 13
• Six counts of Rape

Lovelace was sentenced to 33 years behind bars at the same court on Monday (March 2). He was also given an extended licence for eight years, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

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Police Staff Investigator Karen Slade of the Major Crime Team North (formerly of the Amberstone Team) said: "I am very pleased with this result and to see Lovelace jailed for a considerable length of time for his abhorrent actions.

"Whilst no sentence will ever atone for the suffering that Lovelace has caused, I am glad that we have been able to bring some form of justice to the victims. I hope that this can help them begin to rebuild their lives, knowing that he is now behind bars as he deserves to be.

"I would like to thank the victims for their courage, resilience and support throughout this investigation, which has enabled us to get this result. We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by child sexual abuse to please report this to us. We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously and promise you that we will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice."

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police said: "You can contact police on 101, where you can speak to an officer in confidence, or report online at Report a crime | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

"Alternatively, you can visit the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website for more information on where to seek independent support in your area here.

"We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to talk to police about what they have experienced. Please be reassured that there are other services available that can offer you specialist support to help you deal with the impact of abuse.

"If you are not ready to speak to police, you can contact Child Line on 0800 11 11, or if you are an adult who has been affected, you can call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000."