DEBENHAM MAN JAILED FOR 20 YEARS FOR ABUSING YOUNG CHILDREN
A man who sexually abused girls as young as five and corrupted their childhoods has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.Luke Richardson, aged 33, carried out the abuse over more than a decade, starting when he was in his late teens.
During the sentencing at Ipswich Crown Court, Judge Richard Kelly outlined the details of the victims' suffering, leading to Richardson’s imprisonment on Friday.
One victim described how the abuse began when she was around five or six years old.
Richardson would pretend it was “a game,” which would end when she kissed him on the lips.
He also rubbed his genitals on her face during this time, between the ages of nine and ten.
The abuse persisted into her teenage years and became increasingly severe.
Judge Kelly explained that Richardson “groomed” the first victim and normalized sexualized behavior around her.
He stated that Richardson was “infatuated” with her and grew jealous of her romantic partners as she matured.
Feeling threatened by the situation, Richardson threatened to kill himself, and the victim felt so overwhelmed that she attempted to take her own life, torn between death and the ongoing abuse.
The second victim was subjected to an “entrenched campaign” of abuse from the age of 11, the court heard.
Addressing Richardson, Judge Kelly described him as a “lonely and isolated” child with few friends who spent much of his time confined to his bedroom playing video games.
Raised in Stevenage before moving to Suffolk, Richardson was living in Debenham at the time the abuse was uncovered.
One of the victims described her childhood as “tainted” by Richardson’s actions, with Judge Kelly noting that Richardson took care to carry out the assaults “away from prying eyes.” Previously of Great Back Lane, Debenham, Richardson was found guilty of multiple charges: 10 counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration, seven counts of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, six counts of rape, three counts of assaulting a girl under 13 through touching, and one count of attempted rape.
As well as the 20-year prison sentence, he will serve an additional year on licence and be subject to an indefinite order aimed at preventing sexual harm.
