BISHOP AUCKLAND MAN JAILED FOR CHILD SEX CRIMES

A man named Timothy Leigers, a convicted sex offender, has received a 30-year prison term for a series of heinous crimes he committed as a child. The 47-year-old was convicted on ten counts of child rape and six counts of sexual assault following a thorough trial, with the verdict delivered by a jury. He appeared in court through a video link from Durham prison for his sentencing. Prosecutor Jonathan Walker revealed that Leigers’s abuse began with groping the three young girls, who were school-age at the time, and continued over several years. Victims began coming forward in 2021, when one reported the abuse to authorities, leading others to do the same. Through courageous testimony, they described how the assault has impacted their mental health, mentioning nightmares, flashbacks, and feelings of relief after the trial concluded. Defense lawyer Stephen Constantine pointed to Leigers’s history of brain injury and mental health difficulties, noting his use of a walking stick and trembling during sentencing. Judge Howard Crowson acknowledged that the offending started during Leigers’s youth and recognized the long-lasting harm inflicted on his victims. The court handed down a sentence of 29 years in prison plus one year on license, with eligibility for early release after serving two-thirds of the sentence. Leigers will be required to register as a sex offender for life. Law enforcement praised the victims’ bravery and stressed the importance of reporting abuse whenever it occurs, emphasizing that Leigers’s sentence demonstrates that such crimes are taken seriously and offenders will be held accountable. No mugshot was issued, but authorities encourage victims to report abuse through the police website or by phone. Support services such as Rape Crisis and NSPCC remain available for those seeking help.