Dominic Legg 19

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A teenager who sexually abused three young girls will spend longer locked up after his sentence was increased.

Dominic Legg, of Hartlepool, carried out a series of sexual assaults and rapes on his victims over a four-year period leaving them suffering from the traumatic effects of his abuse, Teesside Crown Court heard in November.

The 19-year-old was sentenced to five years and nine months at a young offenders’ institute but will now spend eight years in custody after a Court of Appeal challenge.

Detective Inspector Lou Sproson from Hartlepool CID said: “I am pleased that Legg’s sentence has been increased to reflect the nature and severity of his offending. This is welcomed by the officers who investigated the case and by the victims and their families.

His victims ranged in age from under ten to 15 years old and took place when he was underage, with the abuse starting when he was around 12.

In victim impact statements, the three young victims and their families outlined the devastating effect that Legg’s sexual abuse had on them.

One wrote: “What Dominic Legg did to me physically and mentally broke me. This has had a massive impact on my life and I will hate myself forever for not doing anything sooner.

“I was a vulnerable little girl.”

Another victim wrote: “I have had to go through therapy because of what happened to me. I could not even speak the words of what Dominic did to me.

“I fear every day that it will happen to me again and find it hard to adjust to normal life.”

He was found guilty of 13 charges against the three victims including counts of rape, sexual assault, and engaging in sexual activity with a child after trial.

Legg, of Harrow Street, will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life and he was also given indefinite restraining orders preventing him from contacting the victims.