MARK LINDSAY FROM DONCASTER AND GRASBY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS

In March 2014, a man named Mark Lindsay, originally from Doncaster and later residing in Grasby near Grimsby, was handed a significant prison sentence following a series of disturbing criminal activities involving minors and sexual assault.

Lindsay, aged 33 at the time, was initially detained as part of a broader investigation conducted by North Yorkshire Police into a child sexual exploitation ring. This operation led to the conviction and imprisonment of ten men, who collectively received a total of 34 years behind bars in May of the previous year. Lindsay’s own criminal conduct was linked to this investigation, but his crimes extended beyond the initial scope.

He was sentenced to an additional four-and-a-half years after admitting to engaging in illegal sexual activities with a minor, specifically a 13-year-old girl, whom he had contacted through an internet dating platform. Lindsay also confessed to meeting the girl for sexual purposes, having sexual contact with her, and grooming her online to facilitate these encounters. His arrest and subsequent charges were part of a complex case involving online grooming, exploitation, and physical assault.

The investigation took a significant turn when Lindsay’s DNA was matched to evidence collected at the scene of a sexual assault in Doncaster Market Place on February 24, 2010. This match led to his transfer from prison to Sheffield Crown Court, where he faced additional charges. During the court proceedings, Lindsay admitted to sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman, an incident that occurred in Doncaster.

The assault on the woman was described in court by prosecutor David Hall. He explained that Lindsay found the woman in a distressed state, sitting on a stall and crying in the otherwise empty marketplace at around 10 pm. Lindsay approached her, attempting to comfort her and inquire about her distress. Although he was polite, the woman felt uncomfortable with his presence. Lindsay then made a sexual comment, exposed himself, and performed a sexual act on himself before quickly walking away. The victim was described as terrified and frozen with fear, believing she was about to be raped. Lindsay’s actions prompted a DNA sample, which was later matched to the evidence from the scene.

Despite efforts to apprehend him, Lindsay managed to evade justice until May 30, 2012, when North Yorkshire Police arrested him on unrelated charges. During this arrest, his DNA was again collected and confirmed to match the sample from the Doncaster marketplace incident. At the time of his arrest, Lindsay was living in Grasby, near Grimsby. He subsequently admitted to the Doncaster sexual assault, and his 33-month sentence for that crime was ordered to run concurrently with his other sentences.

The earlier case in May 2013 detailed Lindsay’s online predatory behavior. Prosecutors revealed that Lindsay, then of Clixby Lane, Grasby, had traveled to York to meet a 13-year-old girl for sexual activity. He persuaded her to lie to her mother and even encouraged her to steal money to pay for train fare to his home in Lincolnshire. Lindsay offered her money for sex and falsely claimed he could help her appear in pornographic films once she was of legal age.

During the court proceedings, Judge Stephen Ashurst, the Recorder of York, condemned Lindsay’s actions, stating, “You are someone with some experience of life and you made a conscious decision to strike up a relationship with a girl you knew was only 13. She is a child. You knew that and I am satisfied here you exploited that to the full.”

Lindsay pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including arranging a meeting with a child for sexual purposes, engaging in sexual activity with a minor, and grooming her online. His defense lawyer, Chloe Fairley, expressed that Lindsay was “deeply ashamed” and that he viewed his own actions with revulsion. The court heard that Lindsay was experiencing financial difficulties, heavy drinking, and cannabis use at the time, but he could not adequately explain his motives.

The evidence showed that Lindsay had contacted the girl through an internet dating website, where her profile falsely claimed she was 18. Over seven weeks, they exchanged over 800 sexually explicit messages. Their first planned meeting was canceled, but on another occasion, they met in a car park near Monks Cross, where they engaged in a sexual act. Lindsay falsely claimed to be a porn star with contacts in the industry, offering her £100 to perform a sexual act on camera and encouraging her to travel to his home to meet his friends for sex.

The girl traveled to Lindsay’s residence, and they spent the night together before he arranged for her to return home by train from Scunthorpe. Her parents, unaware of the true nature of her activities, believed she was staying at a friend’s house in York. When they contacted her after she returned, they discovered the messages and reported the incident to the police. Her mother confiscated her phone and handed it over to authorities, which provided crucial evidence in the case.

Detective Sergeant Sarah Bestington of North Yorkshire Police emphasized the seriousness of Lindsay’s offenses, stating, “The victim was a vulnerable young girl and Mark Lindsay took advantage of her for his own sexual pleasure. The length of the sentence handed down by the court reflects the seriousness of his offences. I hope this sentence serves as a reminder to anyone else who thinks it’s acceptable to engage in sexual activity with vulnerable young girls that the police will thoroughly investigate and ensure that you are brought to justice.”