MELVYN CLEMENT JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES IN NEWTON AYCLIFFE, COUNTY DURHAM

In a case that has shocked the community of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, Melvyn Peter Clement, aged 58, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison following his conviction for indecent assaults on young girls spanning over two decades. Clement, a member of a Scottish pipe band and a former soldier in the Territorial Army, faced charges related to offences committed between 1976 and 1978, which he initially denied but was ultimately found guilty of by Durham Crown Court.

Details of the case reveal that the first victim, now in her 30s, was subjected to Clement’s inappropriate conduct when she was approximately ten or eleven years old. The assaults took place at his residence, where she visited as a young girl. Prosecutor Graeme Gaston described how Clement indecently assaulted her on multiple occasions. One incident occurred in a small room where he stroked her legs and thighs, while another took place during a social gathering, when she was in bed. During this latter incident, Clement lifted her nightdress and touched her, and he also coerced her into touching him.

Further distressing details emerged from the second victim, who was around 11 years old at the time of the assault. Last October, she testified that Clement had rubbed between her legs over her clothing and had also placed his hand inside her trousers. One of the victims remarked that Clement showed no remorse for his actions, highlighting the severity of his conduct.

In mitigation, Anne Richardson, representing Clement, argued that her client had not used violence and was not considered a predatory paedophile. She emphasized that Clement had been suffering from chronic depression at the time of the offences. Richardson also pointed out that Clement had admitted to the offences against the second girl at the earliest opportunity, aiming to spare her the ordeal of giving evidence in court.

While acknowledging the trauma inflicted upon the victims, Richardson described Clement as an “essentially good man” whose reputation had been severely damaged. She highlighted his wife’s ongoing support as a “shining beacon in a dark, dark world” and noted that Clement’s remand in prison since his initial conviction had worsened his mental health issues. She expressed hope that he would receive appropriate treatment and urged the court to impose a relatively short sentence.

However, Judge Richard Lowden, the Honorary Judicial Recorder of Durham, stated that the seriousness of the offences warranted a custodial sentence. Despite this, he took into account the mitigating factors presented. Clement was sentenced to serve 18 months concurrently for the offences, with an extended two-year period on licence to facilitate treatment. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and received an indefinite ban from working with children, reflecting the court’s concern for public safety in the aftermath of these crimes.