Locations
Wasdale Road, Wakefield, WF2
Description
A Wakefield man has been jailed for a number of sex offences against a girl.
Christopher Ackroyd was found guilty of the offences at a trial in August.
He was convicted of one count of attempted rape, four counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, one count of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one count of causing a child to watch a sexual act.
Ackroyd was also found guilty of witness intimidation.
The offences were all reported to have taken place earlier this decade.
Appearing before Leeds Crown Court for sentencing today (16/10), Ackroyd, aged 32, of Wasdale Road, Wakefield, was jailed for 10 years (nine years for the sexual offences and a further one year to be served consecutively for witness intimidation).
He was also given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and made to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.
The conviction follows an investigation by detectives from Wakefield’s District Safeguarding Unit.
Speaking after the sentencing Detective Constable Khi Smith said:
“First and foremost, I would like to thank the victim for coming forward, for talking to us and trusting us.
“Her courage and bravery throughout this investigation have been key to ensuring that Ackroyd was convicted of these horrendous offences.
“He is a dangerous sexual predator, and I hope that his prison sentence brings her some comfort as she begins to move forward with her life.
“The close partnership working that has taken place between police and other agencies during the course of this investigation has ensured the victim had confidence in telling us what took place.
“West Yorkshire Police has dedicated safeguarding detectives across the entire force who are experienced in investigating non-recent sexual offences. We would encourage victims of this kind of offending to come forward. What you tell us will be investigated and you will be believed.”