Sunderland paedophile begins 30-year sentence after being found guilty of string of child sex offences

Serial paedophile Stanley Simpson is today starting a 30-year sentence after a judge said the public must be protected from him.
Paedophile Stanley Simpson from Pennywell.Paedophile Stanley Simpson from Pennywell.
Paedophile Stanley Simpson from Pennywell.

The 50-year-old former advice worker from Pennywell was last month found guilty of 31 counts of historical sex offences - the majority against young boys.

The charges against Simpson involved multiple rapes and sexual assaults against seven victims aged between eight and 16 years, spanning two decades.

Paedophile Stanley Simpson.Paedophile Stanley Simpson.
Paedophile Stanley Simpson.
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Durham Crown Court heard how Simpson befriended the youngsters, plied them with alcohol and cigarettes and made them watch horror films, before carrying out his vile acts.

He would then threaten them with violence and that he would kill their families if they told anyone what he had done.

Many of the victims turned to alcohol as they struggled to cope in the years to come, and at least one attempted suicide., the court heard

Judge Simon Hickey sentenced Simpson, of Peniston Road, to a concurrent jail term on each count - the longest being 24 years.

Paedophile Stanley Simpson.Paedophile Stanley Simpson.
Paedophile Stanley Simpson.
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He will then be subject to a six-year extended licence period for the protection of the public.

Had the jail terms been consecutive, he would have faced 272-and-a-half years behind bars.

Simpson was not present in court, having been remanded into custody after the two-week trial. Instead he appeared via video link before a packed court room this afternoon. He showed no reaction as he learned his fate.

Judge Hickey said the victims had shown "huge courage and immense bravery" in giving evidence during the trial, while Simpson had shown no remorse whatsoever as they were forced to relive past horrors.

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He said: "[One victim] says this: 'I am now 43 years of age. This crime against me occurred when I was only a child. Every day of my life I have lived with this. There is not a day that goes by when I don't think about what Stanley Simpson has done to me. This has destroyed me all of my life'.

"That - from the first victim in the case - speaks in my judgement for all victims in the case.

"You were of good character until the jury convicted you of 31 counts and all of them are serious sexual offences on youngsters. They reflect 20 years of attacks upon vulnerable, young in the main boys.

"The last four counts show that you were prepared to - and did commit - two sexual assaults on two teenage girls."

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Simpson will be required to sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for life and will be barred from ever working with children and vulnerable adults again.

Judge Hickey said he would not make any restraining orders or a sexual harm prevention order, because of the number of years Simpson will spend locked up.

"Without belittling these orders or the complainants, the length of the sentence, in my judgement, will protect the public for years to come.

"Together with the notification period and licence period this will protect the victims in this case."

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Simpson was found guilty of a serious sex offence and two indecent assaults on one boy, at the end of his trial.

On a second boy, he was found guilty of indecency with a child and two counts of indecent assault.

The jury also found he had carried out two serious sex assaults, an indecent assault and committed indecency with a child no fewer than three times on a third boy.

He also raped another boy, committed two serious acts against him, as well as carrying out three incidents of indecency with a child and four indecent assaults.

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On a fifth boy, he was found guilty of a serious sex attack, two incidents of rape, one count of indecency with a child and three indecent assaults.

The jury also returned guilty verdicts on two charges of indecent assault of a girl and of rape and indecent assault against a woman.

Superintendent Lisa Orchard, of Northumbria Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People department, said after the case: "Simpson was a prolific sex offender who preyed upon vulnerable children over a long period of time.

"I am pleased he is behind bars where he cannot cause further harm to anyone. He is clearly a dangerous individual and the public deserve to be protected from him.

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"Although we know the sentence handed to Simpson will in no way help erase what has happened, we hope that it can give some comfort to the people he abused and their families.

"We would continue to urge anyone who feels they have been a victim of a sexual offence to come forward and speak to police with confidence they will receive the support they need, whether from police or another agency."

Detective Constable Barbara Stafford, of Durham Constabulary’s safeguarding unit, added: “This trial been an extremely traumatic experience for Stanley Simpson’s victims who, due to his lies and failure to admit to the crimes he committed against them, have had to relive the horror they went through.

“I would like to pay tribute to them for not only having the confidence to report the abuse they suffered to police but also continuing to show great courage throughout the investigation and

legal process.

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"I would also like to thank those who supported them through the trial. I hope the outcome helps give them all closure and they have peace of mind in the knowledge that their bravery in coming forward has prevented others suffering a similar fate.

"The sentence Stanley Simpson has been given clearly reflects the severity of his crimes."