Nottingham child rapist handed 14 years for heinous abuse

Thomas Kirk, a 28-year-old from Redhill, Nottingham, was found guilty of multiple serious sexual offences against a young girl. He forcibly made his young victim relive her traumatic experience during his trial, denying any contact with her initially, but evidence proved otherwise. The court heard that Kirk had invented a game called "Handburger" which served as a cover-up to molest the girl. The effects of his abuse were severe, leading the girl to develop an eating disorder before reaching her teenage years. When police arrived to arrest Kirk in 2020 at his home, they discovered child abuse images depicting both girls and boys as young as four on his phone. Judge Nirmal Shant KC sentenced him to 14 years in prison, underscoring the gravity of the offences. The judge stated, “Your sexual behaviour towards her started when she was very young and it is right she was extremely vulnerable due to her extreme youth. There is no victim impact statement in this case but the court heard her evidence when she was a witness and it is clear this has had a significant impact on her. The issues I have to decide on is dangerousness as to whether you pose a significant risk of further offending. On the contents of the pre-sentence report and on the facts of this case I conclude that you do pose a high risk of serious harm to young children.” Kirk was also found guilty of one count of child rape and three counts of sexual activity with a child under 13. He has no previous convictions. His 14-year sentence includes nine years custody with a five-year extended licence, making him eligible to apply for parole after six years. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offender register for life and was handed a lifetime sexual harm prevention order. Kirk has diagnosed mental health issues, including Asperger’s syndrome, which was part of his mitigating factors presented in court.