Child molester given 8-year jail sentence
A 92-year-old man has been jailed for eight years for the sexual abuse of two young women.
A judge told former military man Raymond Connor his sex attacks on the victims had “a profound impact” on them as they went forward with their lives.
The pair only plucked up the courage to come forward years later, as women with their own families, and when arrested and charged, the defendant denied anything had happened. That meant both victims had to relive their ordeals at a trial at Derby Crown Court where a jury found Connor, of Ecclesbourne Close, guilty of a number of sexual abuse charges.
Jailing him, Judge Nirmal Shant QC said: “This sexual abuse has had a profound impact on her [victim] and your physical abuse has led to mental torture. [Victim two] has spoken of the devastating impact your behaviour had on her not least because she had decided to keep things secret. This coming out has caused additional suffering for her.”
On Friday, when the hearing began, one victim told the court she felt “robbed of her childhood” and victim two said she “feels sick even now” years after Connor abused her. Both were in court to face their abuser, just as they did at his trial.
Prosecutor Claire Fraser read out hugely powerful victim impact statements made by the now-grown women. In one of them, one said: “I have been completely robbed of my childhood because of the abuse I suffered. I have screenshots in my head about what happened and I have tried to remove myself from the abuse. However, I am finding it difficult to do that.
“I do not feel sending him to prison is justice, I want to be heard, I want to tell my story. I want people to know how evil he is and I want people who have been through a similar situation to know they will get justice. This was not just simple abuse, it’s the mental torture that comes after.” The trial heard how Connor, of Duffield, first sexually abused the two girls when they were teenagers, touching them sexually.
A jury found him guilty of charges including indecent assault of a child;
gross indecency with a child; sexual assault of a female; assault by penetration of a female and indecent assault of a female. He has no previous convictions.
The second woman, in her victim impact statement, said: “It made me feel dirty and disgusting and it makes me feel sick even now. This man was a perfect man to the rest of the world. Little did people know what he was really like. It never goes, it is in my head 24/7.”
Stephen Kemp, mitigating, said his client served in the military for 25 years, has prostate cancer and is unable to walk for long periods of time. He said: “He poses no realistic threat of repeat offending, a custodial sentence of any length is likely to be difficult for Mr Connor because of his age and general poor health.”
Judge Shant told Connor he will serve half of the eight-year sentence in custody and that he will be on the sex offender register for the rest of his life.
Derbyshire police said they would not release a custody photo of Connor “at the wishes of one of his victims”.
Speaking after sentencing, Detective investigator Katie Carter said: “The courage which has been shown by these victims in coming forward to report what happened to them, and throughout the investigation and trial has been immense.
“I’d like to thank them for their bravery and patience, and hope that other victims of sexual abuse take confidence from this result. If you feel able, please report what happened to you, it is never too late to speak out. We will listen to you, support you, and we will not judge.”