The mother of a 13-year-old schoolgirl raped at an annual Powys event has spoken of her daughter’s ordeal, after a man was jailed for the attack.

Alexander Meyer, 25, formerly of Llanidloes, but now of Sandford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, was yesterday jailed for seven-and-a-half years for sex offences.

Mold Crown Court heard that Meyer had raped the young girl twice during the Llanidloes Fancy Dress festival on July 4.

He also admitted eight charges of possessing and making 47 indecent images of children, which police found following his arrest.

In a statement, the mother of the victim who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “This situation is every mother’s worst nightmare.

“She is now frightened to leave the house and frightened to play with friends. She was an innocent victim and keeps having flashbacks.”

Mr Rhys Rowlands, prosecuting, said Meyer had lived in Llanidloes for a number of years, before moving to Oxford in 2007. He returned to stay with his grandparents on the day of the event.

Mr Rowlands said the victim was attending the event with friends, but her parents were also there, waiting for when she was ready to go home.

At about 10pm, the girl became detached from her friends and became distressed.

Meyer spotted her outside a kebab shop and asked what was wrong. She told him and he offered to help her find her friends, which she accepted.

He took her to St Idloes Church grounds and forced her onto the steps and touched her inappropriately, saying he had a knife in his pocket and would “kill her” if she made a noise.

He then took her to a nearby shed and forced her to carry out a sex act on him.

By Andrew Morris and Anwen Evans