COLIN TAPP OF KENILWORTH AND WARWICK SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES

In a case that has shocked the communities of Kenilworth and Warwick, Colin Tapp, a man previously residing in Warwick, has been sentenced to nearly a decade behind bars for a series of heinous sexual offenses involving young girls. The crimes span over a period of years, with some of the most disturbing incidents occurring in the 1990s, and others more recent, culminating in a conviction that has brought justice to his victims.

It was a brave young girl who first found the courage to speak out after a school lesson on forgiveness, revealing her traumatic experiences to a teacher. Her disclosure prompted a police investigation that uncovered a disturbing pattern of abuse committed by Tapp, who was living in Warwick at the time of some of his offenses. The case was brought before Warwick Crown Court, where Tapp faced multiple charges.

Initially, Tapp, aged 52 and residing on Guy Road in Kenilworth, denied all allegations. However, just days before his scheduled trial, he changed his plea and admitted to three counts of indecent assault against two girls, both approximately nine years old, during the 1990s. These charges involved acts of touching and oral contact, which at the time were classified as indecent assault but would now be considered rape under current legal standards. Tapp also confessed to two more recent charges of raping and orally raping another young girl of similar age.

The court heard that the earlier offenses involved two friends, one of whom lived nearby. During a visit to Tapp’s home, one girl was subjected to inappropriate touching, with Tapp roughly rubbing her breasts. On another occasion, he engaged in an act of oral penetration, which he later admitted. The girl confided in her mother that she no longer wished to visit Tapp’s house because of his inappropriate touching, but she did not report the incidents at the time. Tapp was also found to have committed a similar act involving another girl, a friend of the first victim.

Decades later, Tapp committed further offenses against a different young girl living in the same area. He raped her on one occasion and later performed oral rape on her. Although she did not initially disclose these incidents, she confided in a teacher after a school lesson about forgiveness. This revelation led to police involvement and subsequent investigations that linked Tapp to his earlier victims.

During his arrest, Tapp, who had previously received a police caution in 1995 for indecently assaulting two 14-year-old girls, continued to deny all allegations. His defense argued that he had been the full-time carer for his 91-year-old mother and that his older brother was willing to give up his work to care for her. Despite this, the court did not find these circumstances sufficient to mitigate his actions.

Judge Marten Coates sentenced Tapp to nine-and-a-half years in prison. The judge also ordered that Tapp must register as a sex offender for life and be banned from ever being in the unsupervised company of any child. Furthermore, upon his release, Tapp will remain on license until November 2026, during which period he can be recalled to prison if his behavior raises concerns. The judge expressed disappointment that Tapp had not learned his lesson despite previous cautions, emphasizing the gravity of his crimes and the betrayal of trust involved.