MARCUS BENSON JAILED FOR 28 YEARS IN ALDERSHOT FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES

A man has been sentenced to 28 years in prison after being convicted of indecent assault and rape. Marcus Benson, 53, of Raglan Close, Aldershot, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court following a trial that lasted three and a half weeks in November. The offences, which occurred between 1993 and 2004, involved three girls. Benson denied four counts of indecent assault against two girls and three counts of rape against two girls. Two of the indecent assault charges and one of the rape charges were classified as multiple count offences. He was found guilty on all seven counts. On Friday, 14 January, Benson received a 28-year custodial sentence. Detective Constable Michelle Carrig, from Operation Amberstone North, commented: “I cannot underestimate the trauma that all three victims have suffered because of what Benson did to them. I hope today’s sentence has provided the victims with some element of closure, knowing that Benson has been jailed for a very long time for the harrowing crimes he committed against them. I would like to praise the victims for showing courage by coming forward to report these offences to the police. I encourage any other victims, or anyone who has been impacted by sexual abuse, or knows someone who has, to contact police on 101. We take offences of this nature extremely seriously and victims can speak with our specialist officers with confidence.”