Locations
South View, Evenwood, DL14
Description
A man who used a young girl for his own sexual gratification, repeatedly raping her, remains in denial despite being convicted at trial recently.
Jamie Michael Shields was today (Monday, January 22) sentenced to a term of 18 years’ imprisonment for what a judge described as, “a multiplicity” of, “extremely serious offending.”
The 28-year-old defendant was initially charged with three counts of rape, offences he denied at a plea hearing at Durham Crown Court, last March.
A trial in the case was fixed for October, but a further two rape offences were added to the charge sheet and the trial was put back to December.
Following a three-day hearing, in the week before Christmas, Shields, of South View, Evenwood, was convicted on all five counts and remanded in custody pending sentence.
Claire Anderson, prosecuting, read an impact statement to the sentencing hearing provided for the court by the victim’s mother.
She said her daughter found the whole ordeal traumatic, causing her mental health difficulties, for which she has sought help from a specialist agency.
It has led to her daughter being in “a low mood”, missing a lot of schooling and becoming “increasingly distressed”, leading to behavioural issues.
She is now said to also have trust issues with men.
The court heard it had left her mother feeling as if the life of her once “happy little girl” was “in ruins”.
Miss Anderson said the defendant has four convictions for four offences, but all were of a dissimilar nature.
She added that an aggravating feature of the offences was Shields having told the victim not to say anything about his actions or she would get into trouble.
Derek Duffy, representing Shields, told the court: ”There’s very little that can be said on his behalf.
“He does not accept that this has taken place.”
Judge James Adkin told Shields: “You were convicted on abundant evidence of a number of offences.
“You used her (the victim) for your own sexual gratification.”
Judge Adkin said there has been some “significant impact” on the “vulnerable victim”.
He told Shields: “There was a multiplicity of offences all aggravating the criminality.
“It’s extremely serious offending.”
Imposing the 18-year sentence Judge Adkin told the defendant he must serve at least two-thirds before he will be eligible for release on parole.
He made Shields subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender, both to run for life.
A restraining order also prohibits him from contacting or approaching the victim, also for life.