Bradford child abuser jailed for more than four years

BRADFORD CHILD ABUSER JAILED FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS

A child abuser from Bradford has been jailed for 49 months after he finally admitted his guilt almost three years after his first police interview.

Richard Krolak, 61, was initially arrested and interviewed about the allegations back in late 2019, but he denied doing anything wrong and also pleaded not guilty to the charges when his case was sent to Bradford Crown Court.

The court heard today (Thursday) that just a few days before the young girl was due to be formally cross-examined ahead of his trial Krolak, of Pennington Terrace, Canterbury, Little Horton, indicated that he would be admitting the offences.

The mother of the girl, who must not be identified for legal reasons, said in a victim impact statement that her daughter had become quiet and withdrawn since the police investigation started and it broke her heart to see her like that.

Krolak, who had been jailed for a wounding with intent in the late 1990s but had no previous sexual offending on his record, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child.

Judge Jonathan Rose said he had to take into account the fact that Krolak was now suffering from motor neurone disease.

“I accept that both your age and that condition will make the prison sentence that I must impose for your offending the more difficult for you,” he told Krolak.

But he said it was inconceivable that anything other than a significant and immediate prison sentence would be a just outcome for his offending.

Judge Rose said Krolak had offended for his own selfish sexual pleasure and despite the complainant telling him not to touch her.

Krolak will now have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and he will also be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.