YORK CHURCHGOER JAILED FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING THREE YOUNG GIRLS
A York churchgoer named Timothy Thrasher, aged 39, who worshipped at a Bible-teaching chapel in York, has been sentenced to three years in prison for sexually abusing three young girls in separate incidents over several years.During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Thrasher also covertly recorded two other females in private acts.
Thrasher, who was living in the Selby area at the time of his arrest last summer, was arrested in July 2023 after confiding in a church friend about his sexual assault of a young girl.
He admitted to six counts of sexual assault, two counts of voyeurism, and one count of upskirting.
Prosecutor Katherine Robinson highlighted that Thrasher had told his friend about his actions, describing the experience as 'like electricity going to his body,' though he denied feeling sexual arousal.
Thrasher also confessed to abusing a teenage girl twice and three times in total.
He was married and expressed feelings of excitement, shame, and guilt about his assaults.
Following his admissions, Thrasher sent a confession letter to the police and his church, admitting to other sexual offenses against young females, including touching and covert filming.
A victim described the lasting trauma caused by Thrasher, stating that she feels she was 'taken her innocence' and now suffers from nightmares and panic attacks, living under constant distress.
Thrasher’s solicitor noted he had no previous convictions and that his offenses were contextually limited to touching over clothes, and that the attempt at upskirting was unsuccessful.
The judge sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with half to be served before release on license, and imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and indefinite registration as a sex offender.
Thrasher’s actions have had devastating effects on his victims, with one describing feeling ‘seriously traumatised,’ and noting that his confessions only came to light because of his own admissions, not any evidence gathered beforehand.
