DAVID BRUNT SENTENCED IN HARTLEPOOL FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AND IMAGE OFFENSES
The mother of a young girl who was sexually abused has received justice, with the court emphasizing the need to protect other children from David Brunt during his lifetime.Brunt, 53, of Hartlepool, was sentenced to prison, issued a lifetime ban on unsupervised contact with children, and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
The mother, whose identity remains confidential to safeguard her child, delivered a victim impact statement read out at Teesside Crown Court, revealing that her daughter continues to suffer from nightmares and bed-wetting years after the abuse.
Brunt initially chose to stand trial, forcing the traumatized girl to undergo cross-examination by his defense lawyer before he ultimately pleaded guilty.
During the hearing, prosecutor Jane Waugh conveyed the mother’s statement, which included the girl confiding in a relative about her abuse.
Addressing Brunt directly, the statement said: "My whole world came crashing down.
I found out what you had done to my daughter, and her life will never be the same again.
You have stolen her childhood, and I will never forgive you.
You should never be allowed to live within human society.
I have to get up during the night when she has nightmares and cannot sleep, and I have to change the bed when it is wet.
You should be locked away for the rest of your life where you cannot hurt young children.
I hope you go to prison for a very long time—you deserve everything that comes to you." When police interviewed Brunt, they discovered indecent images of children on his mobile phone.
Defence lawyer Ian Mullarkey acknowledged that the offenses were aggravated by their repeated nature but noted that the pre-sentence report showed Brunt had limited acceptance of his wrongdoing, though he acknowledged that an immediate custodial sentence was necessary.
Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Brunt to five and a half years in prison, imposed a lifetime restraining order preventing contact with the girl and her family, and said an indefinite sexual harm prevention order would be enforced to protect the public.
Brunt, who resides at Balcary Court, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on a girl under 13 and three charges of making indecent images of children.
