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A paedophile who abused children for many years starting when they were very young has been jailed for more than 15 years.
Martin Slater’s sexual crimes, which began when he himself was underage, had had “devastating” effects on the victims, the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris told York Crown Court.
Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said it took years for each of the victims to tell police what had happened to them. Both were at primary school when the abuse began.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Leah Gillon of Scarborough CID, said: “Slater has caused immeasurable harm to the victims which has affected all of their lives and that of their families.
“They are to be commended for coming forward and reporting the abuse. As with many victims of abuse they have lived with the trauma caused by Slater for many, many years, before feeling able to report what had happened to them.
“I hope the guilty verdicts and the sentence handed out to Slater helps them to put a traumatic time in their lives behind them and provides a semblance of closure for them.
“I also hope other victims of abuse feel they can report what happened to them to the police, no matter when it happened, in the knowledge that they will be listened to, we will carry out a thorough investigation and you will be offered professional specialist support.”
Both victims had to give evidence against Slater after he denied any wrong doing with them.
Slater, 53, who lived on a houseboat, of no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to 16 charges of sexual offences against children but was convicted by a York jury earlier this year. The offences happened in and around Scarborough.
Today he is starting 15 and a half years in jail with a year’s extended licence after he is released because he is an “offender of particular concern”. He will be on the sex offenders’ register and subject to a sexual harm prevention order, both for life and was made subject to a restraining order, banning him from contacting the victims, also for life.
For Slater, Derek Duffy said he had not offended for many years and that he himself had been a child when he committed the earliest offences.
In his childhood he had been badly burnt and as a result had suffered visible scars on his face which had affected his life. In his later teens and early adult years he had moved from accommodation to accommodation.
“He has lived a quite isolated and lonely life,” said Mr Duffy.
Slater had a job, which he had now lost, and a houseboat.
Following his sentence, which would be his first spell behind bars, he would have to start his life again.