March 2013

Child sex abuser Robert Ascough is jailed

A SEX offender has been jailed for 11 years for an “appalling catalogue” of crimes that drove one victim to attempt suicide and commit sex crimes himself.

Robert Ascough “groomed” two boys with treats of motorbike rides and gave them alcohol as he abused them for years starting when one was ten and the other 12, York Crown Court heard.

Judge Guy Kearl QC said the younger boy was so affected by the abuse he became “addicted to sex” and tried to kill himself. The abuse led to him being convicted of having pornographic images of children on his computer. “You have essentially polluted not only his mind but also his life,” the judge told Ascough. “The sentence is 11 years for what I consider to be an appalling catalogue of perversion committed upon these two young boys.”

Ascough, 63, of Turnham Lane, Selby, pleaded guilty to attempted rape of the younger boy, a serious sexual offence against the older and four charges of indecent assault against each boy, a total of ten offences committed from the late 1970s up to the late 1990s.

He was put on the sex offenders’ register for life and banned indefinitely from having unsupervised contact with any boy under 16 under a sexual offences prevention order. He can only have supervised contact if the boy’s parents are told about his convictions and agree with the contact.

Patrick Palmer, prosecuting, said Ascough began his abuse of the older boy by sexually assaulting him as they were out on his motorbike.

He would show the boy pornographic magazines while he was indecently assaulting him. On one occasion, when the boy refused to commit a sexual act on him, Ascough committed a serious sexual offence on him.

The boy later told police. “This was his first sexual experience. It didn’t seem right. It should have been with a girl. He felt proper sexual experience had been taken away from him,” the barrister said.

He was abused about half a dozen times.

More than a decade later, Ascough began four years of abusing the younger boy. In one weekend, when the boy was allowed to stay at his home, he gave him ten beers. He abused him both in his home and when they were out together in woods walking Ascough’s dog.

Ascough told the boy: “It is for your enjoyment not mine,” and the boy could do whatever he wanted, said the prosecution barrister.

The younger boy kept silent until, as part of court-ordered therapy following his conviction, he revealed what had happened to him and police arrested Ascough.

His revelations led to the older boy revealing what had happened to him.

For Ascough, Taryn Turner said: “This is now a much older man (than at the time of the offences) who has been very publicly named and shamed. He has led a very lonely existence for a number of years.”

Detective Constable Nikki Hall, of North Yorkshire Police, the investigating officer in the case, said: “I would like to thank the victims for their bravery in coming forward to report their ordeals after so many years and the officers who helped to secure Robert Ascough’s conviction.”

January 2013

Selby Child abuser faces prison sentence

A SELBY area man was today facing a lengthy prison sentence after admitting to child abuse.

Robert Ascough, 63, of Turnham Lane, Cliffe, admitted a string of sex offences spread over three decades.

Turnham initially denied the offences, but on the day he was due to stand trial at York Crown Court, and with witnesses standing by to give evidence against him, he changed his plea.

He admitted he subjected two boys to four years of abuse and to committing serious sexual offences against them.

Judge Shaun Spencer QC said: “I am sure you must appreciate you must prepare yourself for a substantial sentence.”

Ascough pleaded guilty to four indecent assaults and a serious sexual offence against a teenage boy between 1977 and 1981. He also admitted four indecent assaults and attempted rape of a second boy between 1995 and 1999.

Ascough’s barrister, Taryn Turner, successfully asked for the case to be adjourned so pre-sentence and psychiatric reports could be prepared.

She applied for him to continue bail until then so he could deal with matters concerning his home, dog and financial affairs.

The judge told Ascough: “Apart from these matters, you have not been in trouble for a considerable number of years. No doubt there are matters which you will need to sort out. In the circumstances, I am prepared to grant bail.”

The court heard Ascough has no previous convictions.

The judge added conditions to the conditional bail Ascough was already on and adjourned sentence until March 11.

Until then, Ascough must keep away from the two boys, both of whom are now adults, not have unsupervised contact with any child under 16, live at a specific address and attend the probation service offices for the preparation of the pre-sentence report.