June 2011

Child sex assault shame of banker Neil Hopkinson

A HIGH-FLYING banker’s life is in ruins after he sexually abused a child guest at his home in York.

Neil Hopkinson, 50, was a senior manager in charge of a £1 billion portfolio at a City financial institution, but was today in jail with his marriage over.

David Hall, prosecuting at Leeds Crown Court, said an adult at Hopkinson’s large semi-detached house in MacLagan Road, Bishopthorpe, was woken by the young boy guest “crying and shaking” at their bedroom door.

The child, aged nine, revealed Hopkinson had sexually assaulted him twice as he slept.

For 15 months, Hopkinson denied he had done anything wrong and the child victim had to prepare to give evidence against him. But on the day of his trial in April, Hopkinson changed his plea and admitted sexual assault.

Today he is starting 20 months in jail. He has also been put on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and banned from working with children.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told Hopkinson: “Why you are standing where you are is beyond my understanding. What was going on in your mind I cannot begin to imagine.”

About the boy victim, the judge said: “He was in your home and entitled to your protection and he was asleep. He knew exactly what was happening and it must have been a terrifying experience for him. It was a gross breach of trust.”

According to records held at Companies House, Hopkinson is currently the sole registered director of a residents’ property management company and a banker. His barrister, Taryn Turner, said: “He is employed in a responsible position in the City for a banking organisation.

“He is a senior manager with a few people working for him. He has control over £1 billion of debt for the bank he works for.”

Hopkinson was remorseful for his actions and was “devastated” by what he had done, she said.

“He has buried his head in the sand perhaps,” she said.

She referred to “something catastrophic that was about to be unleashed” in Hopkinson’s life, but did not go into details. Hopkinson and his wife are currently indivorce proceedings which Mrs Turner said were expected to conclude soon. The abuse occurred in early 2010.