Karen Danczuk speaks of relief as brother who raped her and two other women is jailed for 15 years
KAREN Danczuk insisted “My healing starts now,” as her brother got 15 years behind bars for raping her.
She spoke of her relief that Michael Burke had been brought to justice, branded him a “selfish coward” for forcing her to re-live her ordeal by giving evidence, and declared: “I hope he rots in jail.”
Burke, the 38-year-old brother of the estranged wife of Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, was convicted last month following a trial at Manchester Crown Court.
Today Burke was described as "violent and controlling", and was still "in full denial" with a "self justifying lack of insight" into his behaviour.
His "entrenched" views posed a danger to women, the court heard.
Mrs Danczuk was not in court today following the harrowing trial.
Mrs Danczuk has made an attempt to get back to normal this afternoon after the ordeal of giving evidence, which she said left her unable to sleep.
She took to Instagram to pay tribute to the police officers who had offered her support throughout the case. She was also pictured entering the La Belle beauty parlour in Cheadle, Stockport.
In court this morning Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said Mrs Danczuk's personal problems stemmed from the abuse by her brother.
He said: "The catalyst for the treatment she sought, we respectfully submit, is the abuse she suffered at the hands of this defendant.
"This abuse that was suffered by her at an early age, blighted her life throughout her childhood and into her adulthood. Blighted her ability to form and maintain relationships.
"It's a legacy she has borne in her formative years and into adulthood.
"It involves the rape of a child, in her own bed, under her own roof, involving a family member, at dead of night."
He added: "There's multiple victims, a background of coercion."
Following his conviction last month Mrs Danczuk, 33, waived her right to anonymity as a victim of sexual offences and told The Sun how her brother was a "monster" who had "robbed me of my childhood" and made her suicidal.
During the three week trial, the mother-of-two - known as the 'selfie queen' - told the court her brother abused her at the family home in Middleton, near Rochdale.
The abuse took place when she was aged six or seven - progressing to rape when she was aged 11 - until she was in her mid-teens.
Jailing Burke for 15 years, Judge Andrew Gilbart said: "She was your little sister, over whom you held sway.
"Your actions affected her emotionally well into adulthood.
"As she put it, instead of looking back on her first sexual experience as something to be remembered fondly, she looked back on being raped by her brother before she reached puberty.
"You groomed her. Your little sister was your playmate and susceptible to anything you suggested. You have shown not a shred of remorse."
Speaking of her abuse, Mrs Danczuk previously told The Sun: "My brother’s a monster for raping me. He is sick, I hope he rots in hell.
"He robbed me of my childhood. I was so damaged, my education suffered and I’ve battled anxiety and depression in my adult life.
";He told me we were in a game but I don’t even think anyone was looking for us. I remember him lying on top of me naked."
She told how Burke then started sneaking into the bedroom which Karen shared with her sister and climbing into bed with her.
She said: "He’d come in behind me and I could tell he was naked.
"He would lift up my nightie and touch me. Then it eventually developed into him taking my hand and using it to pleasure himself.
"I would always pretend to be asleep and lie with my back to him, facing the wall. I was terrified and confused but I didn’t know what else to do.
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"I would always pretend to be asleep and lie with my back to him, facing the wall. I was terrified and confused but I didn’t know what else to do.
"It would always be a Sunday night because he knew I wouldn’t be wearing any underwear as that was our bath night."
Burke denied 15 counts of rape, one attempted rape and one indecent assault against his sister and two other women, spanning an 18-year period from 1992 to 2010.
But the jury found him guilty of eight counts of rape and another serious sexual offence against the three women, including three counts of rape against his sister between 1992 and 1994.
He was cleared of nine other serious sexual offences.
The two other women have not waived their right to anonymity and cannot be identified.
Mrs Danczuk told the jury the abuse had ruined her schooling, left her incapable of love and intimacy and that she struggles with depression and anxiety.
A regular panellist on ITV's Loose Women, after the trial she broke down in tears on screen, saying testifying in court against her own brother was "like being in hell".
Lawyers for Burke accused Mrs Danczuk of being an "attention-seeker", but the victim said she had simply wanted "closure".
Burke claimed his accusers were involved in a "conspiracy" against him and had denied all offences.
He was given an extended five years on licence when he is released from jail after serving his sentence and put on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
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