A RAPIST who abused his young victim for almost a decade has failed in a bid to have his 20 year jail sentence cut.

Appeal court judges ruled 81-year-old Aubrey Mitchell had showed "a chilling lack of remorse" for his crimes as they dismissed his attempts at getting a more lenient punishment.

It's likely Mitchell will die in prison after being handed the sentence by Aylesbury Crown Court Judge Johannah Cutts in March, after jurors convicted him of two counts of rape and one of indecent assault.

Lawyers acting for Mitchell, of Bookerhill Road, High Wycombe, said Judge Cutts hadn't taken his age or failing health into account when passing sentence.

But Lord Justice Lloyd Jones dismissed the appeal, saying Mitchell could have expected a 25 year term if he had been younger and in good health.

Passing judgement during Friday's hearing at London's Criminal Appeal Court, he said: "We are bound to say that, in this case, the scope for the exercise of mercy is reduced by the chilling lack of remorse evidenced by his pleas of not guilty and the probation report on him.

"We consider that the judge made an appropriate reduction to take account of Mitchell's age and infirmity.

"This is certainly not a case where we could intervene on the grounds that the sentence was manifestly excessive or wrong in principle.

"There is a high probability that, unless he is released on grounds of mercy by the Home Secretary, this appellant will die in prison.

"That would inevitably be the result unless this court was to reduce the sentence to a derisory level - we refuse to do so."

Mitchell's victim - who was present in court for the appeal hearing - was aged just ten when the abuse started, and jurors were told it lasted for nearly a decade.

Mitchell's partner, 68-year-old Mary Goscombe, also failed to have her 14 year sentence reduced after the jury found her guilty of aiding and abetting Mitchell and of child cruelty.

The court heard that although Goscombe, of George Road, Stokenchurch, did not 'encourage' her partner, she was aware of his crimes and did nothing to stop him.

Lord Justice Lloyd Jones added: "It is no exaggeration to say, as the victim does in her statement, that they have ruined her life."