A SOLIHULL paedophile, guilty of historic sex offences on children as young as three, has been jailed for 22 years.
Alan Read, aged 62 from Colesbourne Road in Sheldon, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday, September 28 after the jury unanimously found him guilty of 15 counts of rape, attempted rape and indecent assault.
The offences happened between 1987 and 2000 when his three victims (two boys and a girl) were aged between three and 14.
Read’s actions came to light when the oldest victim found the courage to report the abuse he had suffered as a child to the police.
A complex investigation, which resulted in the other two victims coming forward, revealed Read had abused the young children while they were in his care and threatened them into silence, saying they wouldn’t be believed if they told anyone – the consequences of which have had a long lasting effect.
He was arrested in May last year and protested his innocence throughout his eight-day trial, but the jury took just eight hours to find him guilty of all counts.
He was sentenced the same day and will remain on the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Karen Jones, from the West Midlands Police’s Public Protection Unit, said: “Read’s victims showed tremendous courage when giving evidence in court and I hope that his sentence brings them some sense of justice as they continue to come to terms with the abuse they suffered.
“I hope that their courage is an example to other people who have suffered abuse and have yet to come forward to report what has happened to them, even if it was several years ago.
“We have specially trained officers who can help survivors of sexual assault through every step of the process, from initial reporting to the court procedure.
“We work with a raft of other agencies who also provide support and comfort.”
Visit www.west-midlands.police.uk/advice-centre/help-and-advice/rape-and-sexual-violence/index.aspx for further information or call police on 101.
