PETER VARLEY OF RAWCLIFFE, YORK SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR CHILD RAPE AND ABUSE

In December 2009, Peter Varley, a 66-year-old resident of Bowness Drive in Rawcliffe, York, was sentenced to a lengthy prison term of eight years after being convicted of multiple serious sexual offenses involving a young girl. The case revealed a disturbing pattern of systematic abuse that had a profound and lasting impact on the victim, who was driven to attempt her own life as a result of the trauma inflicted upon her.

According to the prosecution, led by Alan Mitcheson, the girl endured years of abuse at the hands of Varley, who had taken on a caretaker role for her at times due to her grandmother’s battle with cancer. The abuse was kept secret for several years, with the victim choosing to remain silent about the horrors she endured. It was only when she was in her teens that she attempted to end her life by overdosing on medication and was subsequently hospitalized. After her recovery, she confided in her mother about the abuse, revealing the extent of Varley's misconduct.

During the court proceedings, it was disclosed that Varley’s actions included not only physical and sexual abuse but also the production of obscene photographs of the girl. The judge, Judge Stephen Ashurst, the Recorder of York, condemned Varley's conduct, describing it as a “campaign of systematic abuse” that spanned several years. He emphasized the vulnerability of the young girl and condemned the treatment she received, noting that the trauma was so severe that it nearly resulted in her death. The judge also highlighted the disturbing nature of the photographs, two of which were classified as Level 3 on the five-grade scale used to rate child pornography, indicating a particularly disturbing level of material.

Members of the girl’s family expressed their satisfaction with the sentence, asserting that Varley deserved the punishment. The court heard that Varley, of Bowness Drive in Rawcliffe, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault, two counts of sexually assaulting a child, two counts of indecency with a child, four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of taking indecent photographs of the girl.

Prosecutor Mitcheson revealed that Varley's sexual interest in the girl was triggered after he learned she had received sex education lessons at school. The abuse began when she was just 11 years old and continued until Varley's health issues led to his arrest. Police found a total of 12 child pornography images of the girl at his home during a search following his arrest, including the obscene photographs.

In mitigation, Taryn Turner, representing Varley, noted that he was in a fragile health condition, suffering from various medical issues. She warned that his time in prison would be particularly challenging due to his vulnerability. As part of his sentence, the court imposed a lifelong sexual offences prevention order restricting his activities and mandated that he be registered as a sex offender for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to prevent further harm.