GARY COOPER SENTENCED IN STAFFORD FOR DECADES OF SEXUAL ABUSE ON CHILDREN

A man from Stafford who admitted to committing over 30 historical sexual offenses against children has been officially sentenced to prison. Gary Cooper, aged 79, will likely spend the remainder of his life behind bars, as he will only become eligible for parole once he has served at least two-thirds of his sentence.

Cooper’s disturbing criminal history involves the abuse of five young victims over a span of fifteen years. His actions have been described as having thoroughly 'destroyed' their childhoods, with one victim explicitly labeling him as 'pure evil.' The trauma inflicted by Cooper’s offences has left deep scars, and this individual expressed how difficult it has been for them to carry on with life after such experiences.

The charges against Cooper include a total of 11 counts of rape, 20 counts of indecent assault, and three counts of indecency with a child. Cooper, who resides on Within Lane in Stafford, was sentenced on April 5 to a term of 27 years in prison. Given the severity of his crimes, he will only be eligible for release after serving at least 18 years of his sentence, which is two-thirds of the total term.

The court proceedings revealed that the abuse took place over an extended period, from the 1980s through to the early 2000s, primarily in Taunton, Somerset. The investigation into Cooper’s crimes was initiated following the brave decision of one victim to come forward in 2021. This initial disclosure prompted additional victims to report their abuse, leading to a comprehensive two-year investigation conducted by Avon and Somerset Police.

One of the victims who suffered at Cooper’s hands described the long-lasting impact of the abuse, stating, 'What happened has ruined my life. I can say that for many years, I have suffered from nightmares as a result of being sexually abused by Cooper. My childhood was awful. I was angry when I was young and I am still angry now.'

Another survivor voiced their feelings of frustration and heartbreak, emphasizing the profound effect the abuse had on their entire life. They said, 'He destroyed my childhood and that has had such an impact on my life as an adult. I am so angry that he did this to me. I want him and the court to know how much hurt and distress this has caused me throughout my life.'

A third victim’s statement highlighted the ongoing battle with pain and the difficulty in coping with the abuse. They expressed, 'As a victim of sexual abuse, you try to deal with it, but it just never goes away. It is always there. Throughout the police investigation, it has been so difficult to carry on. It never goes away. I just want justice to be done, justice for me and for all of [his victims]. We need closure so we can all move forward. Gary is just pure evil. What he did was disgusting.'

Detective Constable Harvey Ahern, the officer who led the case, commended both the resilience of the victims and the meticulous nature of the police work involved. He explained, 'This was a difficult and complex investigation resulting in hundreds of evidential documents being collated and numerous interviews being carried out. I wish to commend the bravery and resilience of the victims and witnesses who have remained strong and dedicated throughout the investigation and court process. This result would not have been possible without their courage and kind faith in us as a service, and I hope this conviction encourages other victims of sexual abuse to come forward.'