Locations
Newbourne Gardens, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11
Description
A child rapist has been jailed for historic sex crimes which took place more than 30 years ago.
Mark French, formerly of Newbourne Gardens in Felixstowe, was jailed for 19 years after previously being found guilty of two counts of rape of a child and 10 counts of indecent assault on children.
French will also spend two years on an extended licence.
The 61-year-old appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday, August 14, where he was sentenced following a 13-day trial in May of this year.
The offences took place in the Felixstowe area over a 10-year period and involved two girls.
The allegations first came to light in December 2020, dating back more than 30 years, and French was charged in May 2023.
French was also given a restraining order against both victims and made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Mark French was jailed at Ipswich Crown Court (Image: Suffolk police)
DC Gemma Spink, who was the investigating officer for the case, said:
“No sentence will heal the trauma that French inflicted on his victims, who were children at the time of the offending and who have shown great bravery to come forward to report the crimes against them and see the case to its conclusion.
“I hope this outcome will encourage other victims of non-recent sexual abuse to feel confident about coming forward to police and assure them that they will be listened to by officers.”