Past catches up with man who abused two girls

A MAN has been jailed for 12 years after his sordid past caught up with him.

Defendant Stuart Mitchell, 48, denied a series of sexual offences against two women when they were children.

He was cleared of a rape charge but convicted of a series of other charges of sexual assault.

Judge Niclas Parry jailed him for 12 years and ordered him to register with the police as a sex offender for life.

An indefinite sexual harm prevention order was also made.

Judge Parry, who said that he had ruined his victim’s lives, made an indefinite restraining order under which he is not to approach the victims, now grown women, in any way.

The judge said that he had been convicted of sex offences against young children for his own gratification.

There had been grooming behaviour and also the use of alcohol and drugs to facilitate the offences, Judge Parry explained.

Under present day guidelines, the range of sentencing could go up to 17 years, he warned.

But he had to consider the maximum sentences that were available at the time the offences were committed, back in the 1990s.

Mitchell, now of Chapel Houses in Whitworth, showed no emotion as he was sentenced as an “offender of particular concern.”

The judge said that the defendant would have to serve half the sentence but he would not be automatically released at that stage.

Judge Parry said that Mitchell would only be released when The Parole Board considered that it would be safe for him to be released.

His licence on release was extended by an additional 12 months.