PETER CRANE SENTENCED IN LUTON FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND LIFETIME REGISTRATION
Peter Crane, 65, of Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for sexually abusing a boy and a girl during the 1970s and 1980s.Following his conviction by a jury at Luton Crown Court on 21 January, Crane was also ordered to remain on the sex offenders register for life and will serve an additional year on licence.
PC Matt McCarthy from Bedfordshire Police's Protecting Vulnerable People team stated, "Crane to this day refutes the overwhelming evidence against him, including courageous testimonies from his victims, who were very young when the abuse began and have carried the emotional scars into adulthood." He added, "As well as the emotional impact of his offending, he has subjected his victims to further trauma through the trial process.
No matter how much time has passed, we will always thoroughly investigate and prosecute sexual offences.
We encourage anyone who has experienced abuse to come forward, regardless of when it occurred." In addition to his jail sentence, Crane will remain on license for a year after his release and is now a registered sex offender for life.
Bedfordshire Police emphasize that it is never too late to report sexual abuse.
To report a crime or seek advice, people can call the non-emergency number 101.
Those with hearing or speech impairments are advised to use the textphone service at 18001 101.
If someone is worried about a child, they can contact the NSPCC, their local children's social care team, or Crimestoppers for confidential assistance.
For immediate danger, always dial 999.
The police have specialized teams dedicated to supporting victims and work closely with other agencies to provide ongoing assistance.
Bedfordshire Victim Care Services offers support to victims of crime, even if incidents have not been reported.
More information can be found on the Bedfordshire VCS website.
