Locations
Durrell Close, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, LU7
Description
A man abused a young girl before turning his attention to another young victim - giving one gifts to buy her silence. Peter Bingham's behaviour had a devastating effect on the girls with one victim from Flintshire saying she had tried to destroy her body by self-harming.
Yesterday, the 54-year-old was finally brought to justice after a jury found him guilty of five sex offences following a trial in April. A judge at Mold Crown Court jailed him for a total of five years. Prosecutor Elen Owen said his first victim was under the age of 12 when the abuse started and recounted details of the incidents to the court.
Later, when the victim told Bingham to stop, he reacted angrily, the court heard. Her mother trusted the man and "brushed off" his behaviour, but she had been "groomed" by him too, said Ms Owen.
However, when the abused daughter reached her mid-teens Bingham's offending stopped "quite abruptly". Ms Owen said: "He turned his attention to (a) younger girl." This was a girl who remembers being abused by Bingham just before her ninth birthday, the court heard.
Bingham's first victim, who is grown-up, read out a statement in court in which she recalled the abusive events. She said she later self-harmed because she wanted to destroy her body "so no man ever wanted to touch" it again.
She also said she will not allow anyone to tickle her as he did it and still struggles to accept kindness, fearing people might want something in return. She blocked out the memories of the abuse out of self-preservation but coming to the trial had brought it all back and she dreaded the possibility she might see her abuser in court.