Man guilty of abusing children over 20 years ago

A MAN who sexually abused three children over 20 years ago has been brought to justice at last.

Stuart Paul Newbold was found guilty by a jury at Leicester Crown Court of nine counts of sexual abuse, committed between 1997 and 2000.

The court was told the three victims contacted police in 2018 to report what had happened to them.

The force’s child abuse investigation unit (CAIU) launched an investigation into the matter, culminating in the defendant’s arrest.

The victims gave harrowing accounts of being sexually abused by Newbold at addresses in North West Leicestershire, describing their ordeals and how he engaged them in sexual behaviour.

Newbold, of Mary Close, Ibstock, denied the charges.

The 38-year-old was found guilty of four counts of inciting a boy under 14 years of age to commit an act of gross indecency, three of indecent assault on a boy under 14 and two of indecent assault on a girl under 14.

After the verdicts, the officer in the case, Detective Constable Andy Day, from the CAIU, said: “The victims in this case have had to live with what happened to them for more than 20 years.

“In 2018 they found the courage to contact police and report the abuse.

“I hope the outcome of this trial can provide a degree of comfort knowing that Newbold has been brought to justice and they can move on with their lives.

“I hope this case can be an example to any other victims of sexual abuse that it’s never too late to come forward and report what happened.”

Newbold will be sentenced by Judge Ebrahim Mooncey at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, July 2.