CHRISTOPHER NEWTON MOORE: BARROW MAN TURNED KENT RAPIST SENTENCED IN CANTERBURY

In a case that spans multiple years and locations, Christopher Newton, also known as Christopher Moore, has been convicted of heinous crimes that have shocked communities in Barrow and Kent. The story begins in 2009 when Newton, then a 23-year-old resident of Barrow, was involved in a disturbing incident involving the severe abuse of a four-week-old infant.

Newton was found responsible for inflicting multiple injuries on the infant, including fractured ribs, serious head trauma, bruising to the genital area, and fractures to the child's hip and foot. These injuries were the result of deliberate acts of cruelty, and Newton denied the charges of wilful assault, grievous bodily harm, and unlawful wounding during his trial. Despite his denials, the jury convicted him after careful deliberation.

Following his conviction, Newton was sentenced in November 2010 to two years in prison. His legal troubles did not end there. In May 2012, after serving part of his sentence and being released, Newton pleaded guilty to perjury for fabricating text messages and Facebook conversations during his original trial. As a result, he received an additional ten months of imprisonment.

After completing his sentences, Newton relocated to Kent, where he adopted the name Christopher Moore. His criminal activities continued, culminating in a series of serious sexual offenses. In February of this year, he was tried at Canterbury Crown Court and found guilty of nine counts of rape. The court sentenced him to a lengthy term of 19 years in prison.

Details released by the Crown Prosecution Service confirm that the man known as Christopher Moore is indeed the same individual previously convicted as Christopher Newton. During his trial, Moore was described as a controlling, abusive, and violent rapist. Evidence revealed that even while incarcerated, he managed to contact his victim, sending threatening messages to intimidate her into withdrawing her support for the prosecution.

The court heard harrowing accounts of his violent behavior, including strangulation, punching, smothering with a pillow, kicking, and threats to kill her pet dog. Moore also made disturbing threats to reunite her with her deceased parents, adding to the trauma inflicted upon his victim.

Reflecting on his earlier conviction, the court recounted the 2010 case where Newton was jailed for child cruelty. During that trial, Newton was accused of causing a brain injury and 23 fractures to a young child between August 4 and September 3 of the previous year. Newton consistently denied causing the injuries, but the jury found him guilty of child cruelty and grievous bodily harm without intent after a brief deliberation.

Judge Mr. Justice MacDuff sentenced Newton to two years in prison for the child cruelty and GBH charges, emphasizing that only Newton himself could determine if the verdict was correct. The judge also condemned Newton for committing perjury during the trial, describing his actions as wicked. Newton had attempted to mislead the court with forged evidence, which further complicated his case.

In his sentencing remarks, the judge acknowledged that Newton had pleaded guilty to harassing ex-girlfriends on two occasions and chose to be sentenced immediately. He noted that Newton's actions, including shaking a child and inflicting injuries, were serious but that the jury did not believe he intended to cause the most severe injuries. The sentence was comparatively shorter because of the mixed verdicts and the court's assessment of Newton's culpability.

Following the sentencing, CPS spokesman Lee Dacre expressed the difficulty and distress involved in prosecuting such complex cases. He praised the efforts of the CPS Prosecution Council and Cumbria police in presenting strong evidence that led to Newton's conviction. Dacre emphasized that justice had been served on behalf of the victims, including the child who suffered at Newton's hands, and reaffirmed the importance of holding offenders accountable for their actions.