November 2009

‘Brutal, violent, and predatory’: Halifax man jailed for 15 years for sexual abuse of three girls

A DEPRAVED sex beast who preyed on three young girls has been jailed for 15 years.

Richard Taylor, 40, of Moorbottom Road, Illingworth, Halifax, was convicted of abusing the children after a week-long trial.

Sentencing Taylor, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said his attacks were “brutal, violent, domineering and predatory.”

He was found guilty of seven indecent assaults, three offences of indecency with a child, two of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two sexual assaults, assaulting a child under the age of 13 by penetration and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The charges are what are known as specimen counts and represent many more incidents of abuse.

Bradford Crown Court heard the offences took place over a prolonged period between 1988 and 2007 in Halifax.

Judge Durham Hall told Taylor: “The damage you have caused is incalculable. You sentenced them, effectively, to a life of trauma.”

The court heard the girls were aged eight, nine and 10 at the time of the abuse.

Judge Durham Hall told Taylor: “You had no defence to those matters and yet you forced those girls to relive the ordeal – you deserve no credit and receive none.”

Taylor was put on the Sex Offender Register for life and was banned for ever from working with children.