PETER LONGSTAFF SENTENCED FOR RAPE AND SEXUAL OFFENSES IN MIDDLESBROUGH

In a case that has shocked the Middlesbrough community, Peter Longstaff, aged 29, has been sentenced to a decade behind bars after being convicted of multiple serious sexual offenses involving two disabled teenage girls. The crimes took place between February and May of 2003, and the court proceedings revealed disturbing details about Longstaff's predatory behavior.

Longstaff, a resident of Burnside Avenue in Middlesbrough, was found guilty of charges including rape, gross indecency, and indecent assault. The court heard that he forcibly dragged one of the victims, a 17-year-old girl, to the ground and committed the act while she was unable to resist due to her physical disability. The severity of the assault was underscored by the fact that she was helpless to defend herself at the time.

Following his conviction, Longstaff was ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, a measure that underscores the gravity of his crimes and the potential risk he poses to the community.

The case came to light when Longstaff was arrested in June of the previous year by officers from the Cleveland Police child protection unit. Despite his arrest, Longstaff initially denied the allegations made by the two girls, both of whom have disabilities. The 17-year-old victim recounted to Teesside Crown Court that Longstaff had warned her not to tell anyone about what had happened, telling her, “Who will believe you, you are disabled.” She also revealed that Longstaff had a pattern of exposing himself to her over time.

During a police interview captured on video, the girl described an incident where Longstaff approached her while she was caring for her friend's baby. She recalled him saying, “Do you want kids when you’re older? Come here and we will make babies,” before pulling her onto the floor and climbing on top of her. She described her fear and distress, stating, “I screamed and I was scared and I said ‘Get off me please, I don’t want to do this’.”

Additionally, her 15-year-old friend, who also has a disability, provided police with further disturbing accounts. She stated that Longstaff frequently exposed himself to her and once even asked her to touch him intimately, highlighting a pattern of predatory behavior.

Judge Peter Fox QC addressed the court on Tuesday, emphasizing that the length of the sentence was influenced by recent guidelines for cases involving sexual offenses against vulnerable individuals. The sentence reflects the seriousness with which the court views such violations and aims to serve as a warning to others who might consider similar actions.