JARNAL SINGH AND HARDEV SINGH SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN ACKLAM AND THORNABY
| Red Rose Database
Thornaby Acklam Rapist
In a case that has shocked the local communities of Acklam and Thornaby, two cousins have been sentenced to a combined total of 30 years in prison for their involvement in the sexual exploitation and rape of a young girl. The convictions stem from a lengthy investigation and trial that revealed disturbing details about the abuse that occurred over two decades ago.
Jarnal Singh, aged 41 and residing on Stoneleigh Avenue in Acklam, received a prison term of 20 years after being found guilty of five counts of rape and one count of indecent assault. His cousin, Hardev Singh, aged 59 and a former market trader from Mansfield Avenue in Thornaby, was sentenced to 10 years after being convicted of a single rape charge. Both men had maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings but were ultimately convicted at Teesside Crown Court in February following a trial that lasted several days.
The offences in question took place more than twenty years ago, with evidence pointing to Jarnal Singh raping a young girl in the “avenue of trees” in Acklam, as well as at various residences in Middlesbrough and Stockton. The court heard that Singh, a former youth worker, admitted to having sex with the girl once in the toilets of Middlesbrough nightclub Madison, but he denied that this act constituted rape. Despite this, he was convicted of multiple other serious charges, including twice engaging in non-consensual sexual acts with the girl in a van.
Further disturbing details emerged during the trial, revealing that Singh took the girl to different houses where other men engaged in sexual acts with her. The victim, whose identity is protected by law, was subjected to a series of traumatic experiences, including being taken to locations where she was exploited sexually by multiple individuals. The court also found that Singh had taken her to houses in Middlesbrough and Stockton, where the abuse continued.
Hardev Singh, a married man and father of four, originally from New Delhi, was convicted of raping the same girl in a Middlesbrough residence after she was brought there by his younger cousin. During an earlier hearing, Singh spoke through a translator, expressing confusion about the charges against him, stating he did not understand why he was being accused. He was also cleared of another rape charge by the judge’s direction, as he was not present at the scene of that particular offence in a Stockton home.
As the verdicts were announced, family members of both men were visibly distressed, with some weeping in the public gallery. Judge Tony Briggs addressed the court, emphasizing the severity of the crimes and the need for appropriate sentencing. He stated, “In a case of this nature, bearing in mind the verdict of the jury, a significant sentence is obviously inevitable and the granting of bail will not be made.”
Both Jarnal Singh and Hardev Singh remain in custody and are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Detective Sergeant Dan Heron of Cleveland Police expressed his condemnation of the crimes, highlighting the vulnerability of the young victim and reaffirming the police’s commitment to pursuing justice in cases of sexual abuse involving minors.
Jarnal Singh, aged 41 and residing on Stoneleigh Avenue in Acklam, received a prison term of 20 years after being found guilty of five counts of rape and one count of indecent assault. His cousin, Hardev Singh, aged 59 and a former market trader from Mansfield Avenue in Thornaby, was sentenced to 10 years after being convicted of a single rape charge. Both men had maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings but were ultimately convicted at Teesside Crown Court in February following a trial that lasted several days.
The offences in question took place more than twenty years ago, with evidence pointing to Jarnal Singh raping a young girl in the “avenue of trees” in Acklam, as well as at various residences in Middlesbrough and Stockton. The court heard that Singh, a former youth worker, admitted to having sex with the girl once in the toilets of Middlesbrough nightclub Madison, but he denied that this act constituted rape. Despite this, he was convicted of multiple other serious charges, including twice engaging in non-consensual sexual acts with the girl in a van.
Further disturbing details emerged during the trial, revealing that Singh took the girl to different houses where other men engaged in sexual acts with her. The victim, whose identity is protected by law, was subjected to a series of traumatic experiences, including being taken to locations where she was exploited sexually by multiple individuals. The court also found that Singh had taken her to houses in Middlesbrough and Stockton, where the abuse continued.
Hardev Singh, a married man and father of four, originally from New Delhi, was convicted of raping the same girl in a Middlesbrough residence after she was brought there by his younger cousin. During an earlier hearing, Singh spoke through a translator, expressing confusion about the charges against him, stating he did not understand why he was being accused. He was also cleared of another rape charge by the judge’s direction, as he was not present at the scene of that particular offence in a Stockton home.
As the verdicts were announced, family members of both men were visibly distressed, with some weeping in the public gallery. Judge Tony Briggs addressed the court, emphasizing the severity of the crimes and the need for appropriate sentencing. He stated, “In a case of this nature, bearing in mind the verdict of the jury, a significant sentence is obviously inevitable and the granting of bail will not be made.”
Both Jarnal Singh and Hardev Singh remain in custody and are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Detective Sergeant Dan Heron of Cleveland Police expressed his condemnation of the crimes, highlighting the vulnerability of the young victim and reaffirming the police’s commitment to pursuing justice in cases of sexual abuse involving minors.