Ellis Henderson 21

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An “immature” teenager, who groomed two girls before committing sexual offences on both, has received an eight-year prison sentence.

Ellis Henderson was sentenced today (Monday February 6) after being convicted last month of two charges of rape of a child under 13, one count of sexual assault of a child under 13 and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The now 20-year-old defendant, of Paxton Close, Newton Aycliffe, denied the charges but was found guilty following a trial which spanned the Christmas/New Year break, at Durham Crown Court.

The sentence was adjourned to allow for preparation of a Probation Service background report on Henderson, who is said to remain in denial.

The court heard he made initial contact with both of his victims by parking his vehicle in a car park where children frequented.

Having engaged them in conversation, he would later encourage them to get into the vehicle before driving them to secluded areas and forcing them to engage in sexual activity.

Prosecution counsel, Shaun Dodds, told today’s sentencing hearing one of the girls opted against giving a victim statement, but had said in her original evidential statement to police that she felt so upset at what took place that she sought counselling sessions.

She also felt as if it was her fault for meeting him and she wished she had known better, but also spoke of her hatred of the defendant.

The other girl spoke of “feeling in a dark place” and she, also, wishes she had never met him.

She said she was accused of being a liar after the allegations were made and has also been attacked for reporting it to the police.

The girl said she has since self-harmed, while she has also deliberately cut herself off from her friends.

She said she feels as if Henderson “manipulated” her and it has affected her general trust in people.

Chris Baker, for Henderson, said at the time of the offences he was just short of his 18th birthday and was referred to, in the probation pre-sentence report, as being, “an immature, naïve and vulnerable young man”, despite now having turned 20.

Mr Baker said the defendant has no previous convictions and is particularly “vulnerable” in a custodial environment, having been assaulted twice while on remand.

But he added that he has remained in denial of the offences.

Judge James Adkin told Henderson, however: “You must now be sentenced for a number of serious sexual offences of which the jury found you guilty.”

The judge said there was some planning, taking the girls to isolated areas to commit the offences following, “an element of grooming.”

Imposing the eight-year sentence, Judge Adkin told Henderson he will have to serve two-thirds before he will be released on licence.

He told him the sentence would have been 13 years had he been older when the offences were committed.

Henderson will be subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting either victim, both for 12 years.

He will also be liable to registration as a sex offender for life.

Speaking after today’s sentencing hearing, Jonathan Hanratty, of the Crown Prosecution Service North East’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Uv6nit, said: “Ellis Henderson acted in a predatory manner to carry out these offences against girls he knew to be well under the age of consent.

“He actively engaged both girls in conversation, slowly building their trust in him before exploiting them for his own selfish gratification.

“The Crown Prosecution Service has used the credible accounts bravely provided by both young victims to build a robust case against Ellis Henderson.”

He added: “I sincerely hope that today’s sentence against him provides them both with some measure of comfort.”