JIMMY PEMBERTON PUNISHED IN BRADFORD AND PUDSEY FOR DECADES-OLD CHILD SEX ABUSE

In a case that has spanned nearly four decades, Jimmy Pemberton, a 55-year-old man from Pudsey, was sentenced to five years in prison for the sexual abuse of two young girls during their teenage years. The heinous acts took place at a hotel in Bradford, where Pemberton’s parents operated a public house and hotel, providing a setting that would become the scene of his disturbing crimes.

During the sentencing at Bradford Crown Court, the presiding judge emphasized the importance of finally bringing closure to this long-standing case, stating, “This is a case that needs to finally, finally come to an end.” Pemberton, who was convicted by a jury on all 17 counts brought against him, faced charges that included attempted rape, indecent assault, and acts of indecency with a minor. The court heard how the abuse occurred over approximately 18 months when the victims, now women in their forties, were just teenagers.

His defense attorney, Ken Green, requested a delay in sentencing to allow Pemberton to organize his personal affairs, but Judge Roger Thomas QC firmly declined, asserting that bail would not be granted and that the case needed to be concluded without further delay. Pemberton, who has lived a seemingly unblemished life since the mid-1970s, resides on Glenlea Close in Pudsey. Under the provisions of the 1956 Sex Offences Act, he will serve two-thirds of his five-year sentence behind bars, a longer period than the current standard half-term for such offenses.

Testimony during the trial revealed the disturbing details of the abuse. The victims recounted how Pemberton, then aged 17 or 18, would coerce them into stripping and posing indecently on his bed while he took photographs using a Polaroid camera. The victims described how he would give them small gifts, such as sweets, pens, books, and used camera flashbulbs, as tokens of gratitude after the abuse.

One of the victims, the older girl, was threatened with imprisonment if she disclosed what was happening, while the younger girl was told that he would go to prison if she ever talked about his actions. The older girl was forcibly taken to an attic room at the hotel and locked inside while Pemberton assaulted her sexually. On one particularly disturbing occasion, he attempted to rape her after pinning her down on his bed.

Judge Thomas read heartfelt personal statements from both women, describing how the abuse had left lasting scars and affected their lives long after the incidents. The court’s decision marks a significant step in addressing the long-overdue justice for these victims, bringing to a close a chapter of pain that spanned decades.