Scarborough paedophile jailed for abusing boy over many years

In March, Stephen John Mitchell, 67, of Northstead Flats, pleaded guilty to six charges including raping the child on five occasions, four counts of indecency with a child and one charge of indecent assault against a child.

The offences date back to the 1990s and within the charges are contained multiple occasions that Mitchell abused the child including inciting him to masturbate him, perform oral sex on him and penetration.

Mitchell was jailed at York Crown Court on May 13 and was also issued with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The abuse began when the boy was primary school age and Mitchell began grooming him by buying him food and allowing him to watch cartoons on satellite TV with him.

Before long he began to show him pornographic films, then began performing sex acts on himself in front of the child.

This escalated to inciting the boy to reciprocate and preform various sex acts on Mitchell.

The abuse continued for years with Mitchell threatening to abuse a younger child who was close to the victim if he told anyone.

In his victim personal statement read out at court, the victim, now an adult, addressed Mitchell directly, saying: “You no longer control me, and you cannot destroy me or my family.

“I am closer to my family than I have ever been and can enjoy a life outside work.

“I used work as a tool to push my thoughts and feelings to the back of my mind and worked long, long hours.

“No more, I can now enjoy a life where you have no power.

“I have come through this as a much stronger person. I will never forgive you Mitchell, the gates of hell are waiting for you.”

Investigating officer, Police Staff Investigator, Anne Yates, from the North Yorkshire Police Safeguarding Investigation Team, said: “Mitchell has shown no remorse for the horrific abuse that he inflicted on an innocent child.

“The victim has shown immense courage in coming forward and providing the evidence that gave Mitchell no option but to plead guilty.

“No child should ever have to experience the trauma that he had to endure over a prolonged period of time.

“But he has come through this strong and with hope for the future, which is truly admirable.

“I hope he continues to move on with his life, putting this trauma behind him, knowing that Mitchell is now facing the consequences of his depraved abuse.”

PSI Yates added: “I urge anyone who has been a victim of abuse to contact us if you have not already.

“We have support services and specially-trained offices to help people consider their options and work through what has happened to them. We are here to help, regardless of how long ago the offences happened.”

If you are a victim of abuse, do not suffer in silence.

You can report it through any of the following methods:

Contact the police on 101. If you are in immediate danger, always dial 999 for an emergency response

Victims who would prefer not to go direct to the police can contact Bridge House, North Yorkshire’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), on 0330 223 0362.