JOHN HARROP SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN TEESSIDE AND RELEASED IN 2017

In August 2012, John Harrop, a convicted paedophile from Darlington, was sentenced to an indefinite imprisonment term after being found guilty of sexually abusing a young girl. Prior to his sentencing, the court heard that Harrop, 25 years old at the time, had systematically raped the girl over a two-year period. Prosecutor Aisha Wadoodi described how Harrop had bribed the six-year-old with money and sweets, ignoring her tears and pleas to stop. The girl confided in her parents, revealing that Harrop had been abusing her, which was discovered after her parents heard a piercing scream from her bedroom; she was distressed from a nightmare about the abuse. When arrested, Harrop refused to answer police questions but later admitted to six charges of rape and two counts of sexual assault, resulting in a sentence of imprisonment for public protection. Judge George Moorhouse told Harrop, of Tom Raine Court, Darlington, that the probation report indicated he posed a very high risk of sexual and emotional harm to vulnerable children. Harrop was also ordered to be on the sex offenders’ register for life, banned from working with children, and prohibited from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16. The court noted that the girl now suffers from night terrors, physical health issues, and has limited interaction with friends. Judge Moorhouse emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating that one aggravating factor was the prolonged nature of the abuse inflicted on such a young girl. Harrop was released from prison in August 2017 after authorities determined he was no longer a threat, with the Parole Board responsible for assessing his risk level.