Warren Templeton 40

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A “dangerous” paedophile and rapist will spend at least nine and a half years behind bars after being convicted of multiple historic sex offences which he committed against three children when he himself was a child.

Warren Templeton has also been jailed for a rape and two sexual assaults he carried out on a vulnerable man between 2008 and 2016, when he and his victim were both adults.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Templeton was between the ages of 13 and 17 when he carried out his first collection of sordid crimes against a boy and two girls, who were between the ages of six and 11.

The incidents, which also involved two acts of gross indecency, took place between 1997 and 2001 in Burnley and left his victims so traumatised they could only find the courage to report the crimes to police in 2020.

His fourth victim, a vulnerable man, was assaulted and raped by Templeton between 2008 and 2016, when Templeton was between 25 and 33 years of age, with prosecuting barrister Peter Barr telling the court that he left his victim in pain for days.

Reading from the victim impact statements, Mr Barr said: “His adult victim said the impact of the defendant raping him has affected every day of his life since it happened.

“He said the rape exacerbated his health issues and the emotional impact it had is massive and no words can ever describe it.

“He said he tried to take his life multiple times as he can’t cope with what Templeton did to him and finds it difficult to develop friendships or romantic relationships."

Mr Barr added: “He said he is scared of what Templeton might do if he ever saw him again and asked the court to protect him.”

Mr Barr told the court that Templeton’s other victims echoed similar statements, with all three having been deeply emotionally and psychologically affected by what he did to them as children, which has in turn affected their personal relationships.

He went on: “None of his victims want to see the defendant ever again and have asked the judge to keep them safe by keeping him in prison for a long time.”

Mitigating for Templeton, now 40, Kristian Cavanagh said: “He recognises this will be a lengthy prison sentence.

“And more than that, he recognises that it’s highly unlikely to be determinate.

“He well understands that the court will be considering a further extended sentence, and that realisation and realistic approach has manifested itself to the extent that he’s already made enquiries as to where he will be placed so he can best undertake the Kaizen program for high-risk males.”

Templeton, currently of HMP Wymott but previously of Florence Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent assault against children under the age of 14 and two counts of inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency.

He was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one rape following a four-day trial in August.

He has 11 convictions for 19 offences, the last in 2019 when he received a four-year prison sentence for arson.

Judge Sara Dodd said: “You continue to pose a risk to the public and are at significant risk to causing further harm to adults.

“You are a high risk of causing harm to children and your risk has not diminished while you have been in custody these last four years.

“I have come to the conclusion that you are dangerous and I have to decide whether a determinate sentence is significant enough to protect the public, which is why I will impose an extended sentence.”

Templeton was jailed for 12 months for the offences against his three child victims and a total of nine years, with five years on extended licence, for the rape and sexual assault against his adult victim, which will run consecutively, giving a total extended sentence of 15 years.

He must also sign the sex offender’s register for life and was made subject to a lifetime restraining order against all four of his victims.