MARTIN SLATER SENTENCED IN SCARBOROUGH FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES
A man named Martin Slater, who committed heinous sexual offenses against children over a prolonged period, has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison.The crimes, which began when Slater was himself a minor, have left lasting scars on the victims, as emphasized by Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, during the proceedings at York Crown Court.
Prosecutor Christopher Bevan detailed the lengthy process it took for the victims to come forward and disclose the abuse to authorities.
Both victims, who were in primary school at the time the abuse started, endured years of suffering before they felt able to report what had happened to them.
Their courage in coming forward was praised by law enforcement officials.
Detective Constable Leah Gillon, a member of Scarborough CID, expressed her thoughts on the case, stating, “Slater has caused immeasurable harm to the victims which has affected all of their lives and that of their families.
They are to be commended for coming forward and reporting the abuse.
As with many victims of abuse, they have lived with the trauma caused by Slater for many, many years, before feeling able to report what had happened to them.
I hope the guilty verdicts and the sentence handed out to Slater help them to put a traumatic time in their lives behind them and provide a semblance of closure for them.
I also hope other victims of abuse feel they can report what happened to them to the police, no matter when it happened, in the knowledge that they will be listened to, we will carry out a thorough investigation, and they will be offered professional specialist support.” Throughout the trial, both victims had to give evidence against Slater, who denied any wrongdoing.
Slater, aged 53, was known to live on a houseboat but did not have a fixed address at the time of his arrest.
He pleaded not guilty to 16 charges of sexual offenses against children, but a jury in York found him guilty earlier this year.
The offenses took place in and around Scarborough.
Today, Slater was sentenced to 15 and a half years in prison, with an additional year of extended license upon release, due to being classified as an “offender of particular concern.” He will be registered as a sex offender for life, subject to a sexual harm prevention order, and also under a lifelong restraining order that prohibits him from contacting the victims.
In mitigation, lawyer Derek Duffy explained that Slater had not offended for many years and that his earliest offenses occurred when he was a child himself.
Duffy highlighted that Slater had suffered a difficult childhood, including severe burns that left visible scars on his face, which impacted his life significantly.
During his teenage years and early adulthood, Slater moved frequently between different accommodations, leading to a somewhat isolated and lonely existence.
Slater was employed at one point, but he has since lost his job.
His residence on a houseboat is also no longer an option for him.
With his sentencing, which marks his first time behind bars, Slater faces the challenge of rebuilding his life from scratch after serving his time.
