A north Cumbria man who repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted two primary school-age girls, and molested a third, has been jailed for more than two decades.
The profound impact of 56-year-old Simon Blenkinship’s harrowing catalogue of crimes was outlined in graphic detail this afternoon as moving statements provided by his victims were read during his sentencing hearing.
“This is a case involving the serious, systematic sexual abuse of three young girls,” prosecutor Kim Whittlestone told Carlisle Crown Court of the offending by Blenkinship.
In the case of one youngster, this began “slowly at first” but progressed to him showing her pornography on his laptop. It later escalated and involved multiple rapes, emotional manipulation and humiliation.
In her impact statement, the female spoke of suffering from night terrors, insomnia, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder; and of being threatened by her abuser before she told police what had happened. “There will never be a day I do not feel his hands on me and want to claw off my own skin,” she said. “I am perpetually exhausted, living in a nightmare that will never cease.”
Blenkinship also raped and sexually assaulted a second girl, and abused a third. He denied all offending when first interviewed by police but later admitted 27 charges, including multiple rapes, sexual assault, causing a child to watch sexual activity and two counts of making indecent photographs of a child.
Judith McCullough, defending, said of Blenkinship, who sat with his head bowed in the dock as details of his crimes were outlined: “The defendant says he will never forgive himself.”
Judge Andrew Jefferies QC jailed Blenkinship for 22 years and, concluding he was a “dangerous” offender, imposed an extended eight-year licence period.
“To say you have ruined all their lives is no overstatement,” said the judge of the victims. “I hope that they can recover strength to live as happy and as normal an adulthood, compared to the childhood you stole.”
Blenkinship must serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before being eligible for parole. He must also sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
