June 2006 Abused young boy tried to take own life A man whose horrific abuse of a young boy led to his traumatised victim trying to take his own life has been jailed for five years. Bradford Crown Court was told the boy who was aged ten when the abuse started went on to molest two young girls himself as a result of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Michael Crowther. Judge Roger Scott told Crowther he had “absolutely and thoroughly corrupted a young boy” after hearing how he had sexually abused the complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, for around nine years. He added: “Your premeditated acts went on for years. From what I have read from the complainant’s statement it cannot be anything other than right to say you have ruined that young boy’s life from the age of ten. “It is a true example of the effect of sexual abuse on a vulnerable child.” Prosecutor Andrew Semple told the court Crowther began the abuse in the 1980s. Judge Scott was told the abuse eventually came to light when the victim turned himself in at Odsal police station to confess to abusing the two girls. It was while he was interviewed he told police what had happened to him. In a victim impact statement the complainant described how he had tried to take his own life and said the offences had “devastated and altered my entire life from childhood through to my present adult life.” Abdul Iqbal, mitigating, told the court Crowther could not explain why he had done it. Passing sentence, Judge Scott described the victim impact statement as a “deeply disturbing document”. Crowther, now of Arthington Grove, Leeds, pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault. He will have to sign on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.