Man admits child sex abuse

Judge tells offender he is facing a very long sentence

A Peterborough man has been told he is facing years behind bars after admitting a string of sex offences against children. Adam Aitken ( 28) of Kinnears Walk, Orton Goldhay, appeared at Peterborough CrownCourtonFriday where he admitted a number of offences, including raping a 12-year-old boy.

In total, he admitted offences against five children, aged between eight and 15 years old.

Aitken, who appeared at the court via video link from HMP Bedford, shook his head as he entered the pleas.

Thereweresobsinthepublic gallery as family of the victims listened to the pleas.

He was charged with a to- tal of18counts, andheentered guilty pleas to six of them. The prosecution accepted the pleas, andhewillbesentenced later this month.

Aitken, who wore a purple t-shirt and black tracksuit bottoms for the hearing, was forced to wait to enter the pleas, as he originally appeared at 2pm, but the hearing was not completed until 4.30pm, while legal discussions took place, and Judge Stuart Bridge dealt with other matters.

Aitken pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child, rape of a child, one count of sexual assault on a child, andonecountofcausing a child to watch a sexual act.

The charges date back more than seven years, starting in November 2008.

He pleaded not guilty to 12 other counts. However, the prosecution said this was acceptable.

Sentencing wasadjourned to allow a pre-sentence report to becarried out bythe probation service- but Judge Bridge saidAitkenwillbefacingyears behind bars. He said: “There plainlymustbeapre-sentence report - but Aitken will be expectingaverylongprisonsentence. “The issue looked at in the report will be whether it is a determinate sentence, an extended sentence or even an indeterminate sentence.

“The sentencing judge will not be able to sentence without that report. “However, the only sentence will be a very long prison sentence.”

Aitken will be sentenced on August 19 at Peterborough Crown Court.