A man has been jailed for a campaign of historical sexual abuse committed against a girl while he was aged in his mid-teens.
Justice finally caught up with Andrew Blenkinsopp, now 58, as he was sentenced today at Carlisle Crown Court by a judge who heard graphic details of the defendant’s multiple crimes several decades ago.
Blenkinsopp carried out repeated sexual assaults on the female. “During the sexual abuse he would also threaten her stating that, if she told anyone, no-one would believe her,” Tim Evans, prosecuting, told the court.
After the victim reported his offending, she outlined the terrible lasting effect of Blenkinsopp’s shocking crimes in both her police interview and an impact statement. “It had just seemed to go on for ever and ever”, she recalled. “Every time I tried to move he would just tell me to shut up.”
The woman was left suicidal, needed medication and counselling, and found herself overwhelmed by proceedings during the past five years having reported what Blenkinsopp had done to police.
His offending, she later said, took away her childhood and teenage years, and substantially reduced the quality of her life since.
Blenkinsopp, formerly of Carlisle, initially denied any wrongdoing. But on the day he was due to stand trial in front of a crown court jury, he pleaded guilty to 10 charges of indecent assault.
Judge Michael Fanning observed that it was a complex sentencing exercise given the passage of time and ages of those involved, telling Blenkinsopp he would be punished as if the offences he admitted were governed by modern day law. Two would have been equivalent to rape.
“Your offending was repeated and persistent,” said Judge Fanning, who added of the woman: “As with so many victims of child sexual abuse, the trauma lives on to this day.
“You don’t exude remorse. Rather you see yourself as as a victim of this.”
In the wake of several sentencing hearing adjournments, the judge suggested Blenkinsopp had sought to manipulate and control court proceedings. “I suspect that is intended to maximise the distress (of the woman),” said Judge Fanning.
Imposing a jail term of three years and seven months, the judge said a sentence of punishment and deterrence was required, sending the message to young boys now that this sort of offending was not tolerated and will catch up with them.
The judge also told Blenkinsopp: “You, even at the ages you were, cannot have failed to realise as you matured that what you were doing was unwanted and was wrong. You did not voluntarily desist. You persisted.”
As the sentencing hearing concluded, Judge Fanning addressed the woman as she sat in the public gallery. “All I can hope is that things get better now that his abuse of you has been recognised,” the judge said to her. “I do feel for you, I do for any victim of this. You have my genuine best wishes.”
“Thank you. Thank you for the court’s time,” the woman replied. “I am very grateful.”
Blenkinsopp is now subject to the sex offender register notification requirements indefinitely, with his name also added to the list of those barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.
