Locations
Regis Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4
Description
A 78-year-old man from Luton has been sentenced after sexually assaulting and abusing multiple women and girls over a period of 30 years.
Barry Tatum, of Regis Road, came to the attention of Bedfordshire Police in August 2017 after one of the victims reported that she had been sexually abused by him.
Following this disclosure, an investigation was launched by the Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team, and Tatum was arrested.
As the investigation progressed, seven further victims of varying ages came forward, reporting abuse dating back to the late 1980s.
Tatum was subsequently charged with 23 offences and following a five-week trial at Luton Crown Court in August, he was found guilty of 16 offences: five counts of indecent assault, six counts of sexual assault, three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, and two counts of making indecent images of a child.
Today (Thursday) he was jailed for 10 years with an additional three years on licence. He was also handed a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order after the judge described his actions as a campaign of abuse that he had shown no remorse for.
Detective Constable Matt McCarthy from the PVP team said:
“For three decades Tatum groomed and abused the trust of many innocent women and girls, acting in a persistently predatory manner and subjecting them to wholly inappropriate sexual abuse.
“This verdict is a testament to the bravery and resilience of the victims who came forward and shared their experiences.
“Their courage has ensured that a dangerous offender has now been brought to justice. We hope this outcome brings some measure of closure and reassurance to them and to the wider community.
“We work hard to tackle all forms of sexual abuse. Please remember it’s never too late to speak out. Our specialist teams carry out many investigations like this one and have successfully brought many perpetrators to justice, whilst ensuring the victim has the support they need.
“When you are ready, our officers are there to listen and your voice will be heard.”
Lawyer Paul Robson from the Crown Prosecution Service said:
“The strong testimonies of the victims were central to our case and to securing Tatum’s conviction.
“Not only did these women come forward to report him, but they also showed great courage by giving their accounts in court, despite everything they had been through. As a result, Tatum will now serve time in prison for his crimes.
“We would like to thank the victims for their support through this process. We also recognise the outstanding work of the police, barristers, and other professionals who ensured justice was served.”