PAUL RHODES SENTENCED IN HULL FOR HORRIFIC CHILD RAPE CASE INVOLVING FOSTER CHILDREN

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Hull, Paul Rhodes, aged 25, has been sentenced to an indefinite term of imprisonment after being found guilty of raping five young girls, all under the age of eight. The heinous crimes took place within the East Riding area, with one of the victims being a foster child, which has added a deeply troubling dimension to the case.

Rhodes was the adopted son of a foster carer who had served Hull City Council for nearly three decades. His adoptive mother, who was responsible for caring for vulnerable children, has now been banned from fostering following the revelations of her son's criminal activities. The incident has prompted Hull City Council to launch an internal investigation aimed at reviewing and tightening its procedures for monitoring foster carers and safeguarding children.

The case was brought before Hull Crown Court, where Rhodes pleaded guilty to 14 counts of rape. The court heard that his crimes involved a high level of depravity, with the judge, Honorary Recorder of Hull and the East Riding, Judge Michael Mettyear, condemning Rhodes for the significant risk he poses to the public. The judge emphasized the gravity of the offences, noting the number of victims and the circumstances that allowed Rhodes to commit these acts.

Rhodes had previously been sentenced to ten years in prison after being convicted of raping four girls. The initial case came to light in February 2010 when one of the victims reported the assault to police. As investigations progressed, additional victims were identified, revealing a pattern of abuse. Following the initial sentencing, a foster child came forward, disclosing that Rhodes had also raped her, which led to a resentencing and further legal action.

Detective Constable Rachel Walton of Humberside Police’s public protection unit stated, “There is no doubt he is a danger. All the victims have been very brave in coming forward. Following the first complaint, we conducted further investigations and more victims came to light. If anyone else has been affected by Rhodes then we will continue to investigate.”

During his arrest, Rhodes admitted to the police that he did not fully understand why he committed these acts, only acknowledging that “the opportunity was there” and that he “betrayed their trust.”

In sentencing, Judge Mettyear ordered that Rhodes serve a minimum of four years before being considered for parole. He clarified that Rhodes would only be released when the Parole Board determines he no longer poses a threat to society. The judge highlighted the severity of the offences, stating, “He does pose a significant risk to members of the public. I bear in mind the type of offences and high level of depravity involved, the number of children involved and the circumstances which brought him to have the opportunity to do it.”

Paul Dyson, the independent chair of the Hull Safeguarding Children Board, commented on the case, emphasizing the importance of learning lessons from such tragic incidents. “Where, in exceptional cases such as this, a child suffers significant harm, it is the responsibility of the board to ensure lessons have been learnt and professional practice further improved,” Dyson said. He also noted that at the time of Rhodes’s convictions, he was no longer living within the household and was never officially registered as a foster carer. Nevertheless, immediate actions were taken to remove him from any foster placement, and the household was de-registered. The council also implemented additional measures to enhance the monitoring and safeguarding of foster children, aiming to prevent such a tragedy from recurring in the future.