PAUL MOUNTAIN FROM CHELMSFORD SENTENCED FOR SEX OFFENSES INVOLVING TEEN GIRLS IN CHELMSFORD AND CAMBRIDGESHIRE

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Chelmsford community, Paul Mountain, a man originally from Great Baddow, has been convicted and sentenced for a series of heinous sexual offenses involving underage girls. The legal proceedings and the emotional toll on the victims and their families have been detailed in court documents and public statements, revealing a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior spanning several years.

In March 2017, Mountain was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court to a total of five years and three months behind bars for the brutal rape of a 15-year-old girl and the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. Judge Emma Peters, presiding over the case, described Mountain as a “menace to young girls,” emphasizing the severity of his crimes and the danger he posed to the community. The victims, whose identities are protected by law, have endured a harrowing ordeal, with their families recounting the long and painful journey toward justice.

The father of the 14-year-old victim, who spoke publicly about the case, expressed his anguish and frustration over the ordeal his family has faced since the events unfolded. He recounted how, in 2013, he received a call from his daughter’s school informing him that she had been associating with Mountain. Soon after, her behavior changed noticeably, prompting further concern. Despite his efforts to confront her and ground her for six months, the underlying issues persisted. The father revealed that Mountain had sexually touched his daughter three times between July and September 2013, despite police warnings for him to stay away from her on previous occasions.

Although these crimes occurred during the summer of 2013, Mountain was not brought to justice until more than three years later. The father explained that after a period of silence in 2015, they were eventually contacted by law enforcement officers. However, with the retirement of their liaison officer in July 2016, the investigation stalled for six months. It was only after renewed efforts that Mountain’s victim felt able to disclose the full extent of her trauma to her father, a revelation that marked a turning point in the case. The father described the emotional toll on his daughter, stating, “It was the hardest thing of her life to sit down and talk about it.”

He further expressed his frustration with the justice system, asserting that if more cases were handled with the same rigor as theirs, there would be fewer paedophiles on the streets. The court sentenced Mountain to four years and nine months for the rape, with an additional six months for each count of sexual touching, to run consecutively but concurrently with the rape sentence. He is expected to serve approximately 31 months before being released on license.

Additionally, in a separate but related case from February 2014, Mountain, then aged 24, was convicted of abusing a 14-year-old girl he followed from Chelmsford to Cambridgeshire. He pleaded guilty at Peterborough Crown Court to engaging in sexual activity with the girl between December 2012 and May 2013, as well as obstructing an officer and resisting arrest. Detective Constable Dianne Booth of Cambridgeshire Police highlighted the vulnerability of the victim and condemned Mountain’s actions, emphasizing that he pursued her despite knowing her age. Mountain was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for these offenses.

The case underscores the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in protecting young people from predatory individuals like Mountain. His actions have left a lasting impact on the victims and their families, and the community continues to grapple with the implications of such disturbing crimes committed within the Chelmsford area.