Locations
Libson Close, Fearnhead, Warrington, Cheshire, WA2
Description
A child rapist made his victim watch indecent videos at a young age before embarking on a years-long campaign of abuse. Andrew Bate has been locked up for 21 years and must serve an extra five years on licence.
Bate, of Libson Close, Warrington, was found guilty of 16 sexual offences against the child - including rape; sexual assault; engaging in sexual activity with a child; and sexual touching.
During a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, the victim told how the offences developed over a number of years, initially beginning when they were forced to watch indecent videos.
Following an initial incident, the abuse escalated. Bate raped and sexually assault the child on multiple occasions. The victim said they pretended to sleep to stop him. No matter what they did, he continued.
Bate's offending came to light in January 2023 when the victim reported him. He denied every allegation. Detective Constable Maurizio Lucchesi, who led the investigation, said: "Firstly, I want to praise the victim for the courage that they have shown throughout this investigation.
"Bate is clearly a sexual predator, whose only interest is to fulfil his own sexual gratification. He showed no regard for the victim and even when faced with all the evidence against him, he refused to plead guilty to any of the charges against. Instead, he forced his victim to relive their experiences in court, which could not have been easy for them.
"Thankfully, as a result of the bravery of the victim, and the evidence we gathered, the jury have seen through his lies, and he is now being held accountable for his actions. I hope that the sentence handed to Bate will provide the victim with some closure and allow them to move forward with their lives, knowing that he will never be able do the same to any other children.”
Bate was ordered to sign the sex offender register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order for life. DC Lucchesi added: "Nobody should have to experience what the victim has been though and if anything can come from this case, I hope that it encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report them to us."