HARROGATE MAN CARL BRIAN WHISTON SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR ABUSE OF SCHOOLGIRL NEAR SELBY

In December 2006, a disturbing case of child sexual abuse came to light involving Carl Brian Whiston, a man from Harrogate, who was convicted of heinous crimes against a young girl near Selby. The case revealed a prolonged period of abuse that spanned over three years, beginning when the victim was just 14 years old.

According to court proceedings at York Crown Court, Whiston, aged 35 at the time, subjected the girl to repeated acts of sexual violence. The court heard that he used her as his personal 'sexual facility,' a term that underscores the predatory nature of his actions. The abuse was so severe and the evidence so graphic that the court was compelled to clear the courtroom during the viewing of photographs and videos that Whiston had recorded of the assaults. These images and footage were described as 'sickening,' and their viewing was restricted to the jury behind locked doors to prevent further trauma.

After deliberating for two hours, the jury found Whiston guilty of 14 separate sexual offenses, including seven counts of rape and two charges related to child pornography. The verdict reflected the gravity of his crimes and the extent of his misconduct. During sentencing, Judge Jim Spencer QC did not hold back in condemning Whiston, stating, "You are responsible for unrestrained sexual abuse of a child. You did whatever you could think of to that girl without any thought for her welfare or her wishes. You repeatedly raped her. You subjected her to your sexual requirements. You degraded her further by photographing the proceedings. You used her for three years as a sexual facility. There is no mitigation in this case."

Whiston was sentenced to a term of 15 years in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was given an indefinite ban from working with children, reflecting the court's recognition of the ongoing risk he poses to society.

In a statement, a police spokesperson emphasized the bravery of the victim, saying, "This case is testimony to the bravery of the victim, who found the strength to come forward and report what had happened to her. We hope that her courage and the severity of the sentence handed down by the court will offer encouragement to other victims who find themselves in a similar terrible situation."

Whiston, who resided on South Drive in Harrogate, denied the majority of the charges, including seven counts of rape, two attempted rapes, three indecent assaults, two charges of indecency with a child, and possession of child pornography. The victim was a girl from a village near Selby, and the abuse reportedly began when Whiston's wife was pregnant. Prosecutor Simon Kealey explained that many of the assaults occurred while Whiston was caring for the girl during her mother’s absences, such as when she was out swimming. On one particularly alarming occasion, Whiston picked her up from school, took her to a country lane, and attempted to rape her in his car.

He also took photographs of the girl with his digital camera and made her view them. Although Whiston later deleted these images, police experts were able to recover them from the camera’s memory disc. Throughout the trial, Whiston maintained his innocence, claiming he had never sexually touched the girl or taken any inappropriate pictures. He described the girl as an 'attention seeker.' His defense lawyer, John Elvidge, suggested that the girl had consented to the sexual acts depicted in the video and that another man was involved. After the verdict, a psychiatric report was presented indicating that Whiston suffered from depression. However, the judge remarked that if the doctor had been aware of the child abuse, his diagnosis might have been different, highlighting the severity and impact of Whiston’s actions.