ANTHONY LEE OF WARMER CARR, WIGGINGTON, SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN YORK

In December 2011, Anthony Barry Lee was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of multiple sexual offences spanning over two decades, which involved abuse of two family generations in York. The court heard that Lee, 67, from Walmer Carr, Wigginton, was described by police as a "monster" due to his heinous actions.

Lee repeatedly indecently assaulted the older victim—from the age of ten until she was 17—and over ten years later, he assaulted her daughter three times when she was between five and ten years old. Despite years of silence from the victims, they eventually came forward and testified in court, forcing Lee to relive his crimes publicly.

York Crown Court also learned that the offences took place in the presence of other individuals.

Lee was sentenced to seven years in prison, ordered to register as a sex offender for life, and placed under an indefinite sexual offences prevention order.

Detective Inspector Shaun Page of the York and Selby Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit said: "Anthony Barry Lee is a monster who preyed on his victims over a substantial period of time. Prison is the best place for him and will hopefully help him to realise the magnitude of his vile and heartless crimes."

He added: "I would like to thank the victims in this case for their bravery in coming forward, and I hope that Lee’s sentence will offer them some comfort and enable them to move forward in their lives. I also hope that today’s outcome will encourage other victims of sexual abuse to come forward."

Regarding Lee’s health, defence solicitor Andrew Semple stated: "There is a real possibility he may well die within a custodial environment. Any prison sentence will be devastating for him."

Semple also noted that Lee had almost appeared "willing to be caught" because he committed his offences when others were present or in public, and he stopped only when he received a complaint of some sort. Lee continues to deny the charges.

Although Lee pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of indecent assault, a jury convicted him following a trial. The offences took place between the 1970s and 1980s, when he was between 31 and 38, and in the 1990s, when he was between 47 and 52.