DEXTER MATTHEWS FROM CLECKHEATON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING YOUNG GIRLS IN LEEDS

In a case that has shocked the community of Cleckheaton and the wider Leeds area, Dexter Matthews, aged 43, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after admitting to a series of serious sexual offences committed against three young girls over a span of more than six years.

Matthews, who is characterized by his ginger hair and wearing glasses, was found guilty of multiple counts related to the abuse of minors. The Leeds Crown Court heard that he had targeted a girl aged between 12 and 13, lacing her soft drinks with alcohol, including vodka, on two separate occasions. Over a period of two weeks, he sexually assaulted her three times, actions that he later admitted to during court proceedings.

Prosecutor David Hall detailed that Matthews, who had no prior criminal record, began his predatory behavior when his first victim was between 12 and 13 years old. The court was informed that Matthews took her on camping trips and to a local working men's club, where he indecently assaulted her in a bedroom at his home. These assaults occurred approximately once or twice a month over the course of a year. The girl, feeling unable to report the abuse at the time, confided in her boyfriend five years later, revealing the traumatic experiences she endured.

Further allegations involved Matthews purchasing drinks at a working men's club for a second girl of similar age, whom he also raped. The prosecutor recounted that Matthews bought her a coke, which she initially thought tasted strange. On another occasion, he contaminated her drink with vodka, causing her to feel dizzy and unwell. The court heard that Matthews then pushed her onto a bed, undressed her, and carried out multiple sexual assaults. The second girl attempted to resist, screaming during the ordeal, and was left crying herself to sleep afterward.

The third victim, a girl aged between five and seven at the time, was subjected to indecent touching by Matthews between April 1999 and December 2005. These offences only came to light last April when she disclosed the abuse to her family, prompting the other victims to come forward and report their experiences.

Matthews pleaded guilty to several charges on the morning of his trial last month. These included three counts of raping a girl under 16, two counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14, and two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13. He denied three additional charges, which were left on file by the court.

During mitigation, Matthews' legal representative, David Orbaum, acknowledged some planning in the offences but highlighted that Matthews' mother and stepfather continued to support him. Judge Shaun Spencer, QC, addressed Matthews directly, condemning his actions as involving a wide range of sexual activities that would only be appropriate in the case of a consenting adult woman. The judge sentenced Matthews to 11 years in prison for the three rapes and an additional two years for the assaults on the other two girls.

Judge Spencer also imposed a lifelong ban on Matthews working with children and issued a sexual offences prevention order. This order prohibits him from communicating with his victims for life, having unsupervised contact with females under 16, or allowing minors into his home. The judge expressed the view that Matthews' inclinations might diminish over time, but emphasized the severity of his crimes and the need for ongoing restrictions to protect the community.