October 2014 Four years jail for man who abused three children A MAN who sexually abused three different children at different times over three decades has been jailed for four years. It was only when concerns were raised over Peter Stoker’s actions last year that police became involved and spoke separately to the three alleged victims. Durham Crown Court heard they all gave an account of the abuse they suffered at his hands, and he was arrested. Stoker, 56, of John Street, Shildon, County Durham, who has no previous convictions, went on to admit four counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault on a child and one of indecency with a child, at a preliminary hearing in the case, in July. Sentence was adjourned to allow for preparation of reports on Stoker by the Probation Service and a psychologist. Returning to court for a sentencing hearing, the court was read victim statements in which the abused trio spoke of the long-term harm suffered at his hands. They referred to the fact they felt “helpless” at the time, and one described feeling “physically sick” when discovering others had been abused by Stoker. Tom Mitchell, mitigating, told the court the defendant has a low IQ just above the level that can be dealt with in a criminal court. Mr Mitchell said: “He has always had problems not helped by experiences in his own life. “As well as having limited cogent skills and function, he suffered at the hands of others when he was but a young boy. “There’s no enormous amount of sophistication. With his limited function, he has reacted to some underlying desire that surfaces in his mind.” Jailing him, Recorder Ian Atherton also made Stoker subject of a sexual offences prevention order, for 15 years, and registration as a sex offender, for life.