AN evil child rapist who told his victim he would “hunt” her down and repeat the crime if she ever told anyone has been jailed for 12-and-a-half years,
Mark Parker 57, was described as a “barbaric monster” by the mother of the youngster – now an adult – whom he targeted while she was of primary school age more than a decade ago, leaving her traumatised and haunted.
Carlisle Crown Court was told today (MON) how Parker had isolated the girl on false pretences before indecently assaulting and then raping her.
David Bentley, prosecuting, told the court: “He then said ‘this is our little secret’. If you ever tell anybody else, ever, about what’s happened I will hunt you and find you wherever it will be, however long it will be, and I will do it again.”
Left feeling “guilty”, “humiliated and embarrassed”, the female bravely told others about what had happened to her years later, before police were alerted. She had known her attacker under the name Nicholas McKerrow, which he later changed to Mark Parker, relocating from West Cumbria to Central Avenue in Harraby, Carlisle.
“Without any doubt whatsoever my childhood has been stolen because of that man,” the female said in a deeply moving impact statement, branding his crimes “dreadful, terrifying, horrific”, and him “incredibly evil”. “I struggle to say the man’s name, but Mark Parker is a dangerous individual who should not be free to commit devastating offences against those most vulnerable. The risk he poses is obvious.”
Her mother, who also provided a statement, said: “He is a barbaric monster who should never have the opportunity to put any other children or families through what we as a family have gone through. I can only pray that there are no other victims out there.”
Parker admitted indecent assault and rape but, it has emerged, is already subject to life prison sentence for sex crimes committed against other children. A former Sellafield worker, he received a minimum four-year jail term in 2005 under his previous name of McKerrow for 11 offences committed against a number of boys and girls.
Given an indeterminate sentence then by a judge who ordered that he should not be released from prison until a parole board deemed him safe, he went free after serving seven-and-a-half years.
Jailing Parker today for the rape and indecent assault – which pre-dated the other crimes – Judge Peter Davies called his offending “wicked, exploitative, mean, perverted and corrupt”, adding: “You are responsible for destroying people’s lives, and only you are responsible.”
Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Mark Rowlands said: “I would like to reiterate our commitment to investigating thoroughly any reports of sexual abuse – whether recent or non-recent. I would urge anyone who has been subject to offences of this nature to come forward. You will be listened to.”
