Scarborough rapist Daniel Bushby jailed for 23 years; girl and woman were victims of terrible ordeals

Daniel Lee Bushby’s shocking offences left the girl suicidal and with disturbed behaviour, York Crown Court heard.

In a separate incident, Bushby, 23, raped a young woman as she was sleeping. The victim was so traumatised she has since left the area where she lived and now suffers from anxiety and depression.

Bushby was arrested and charged with three counts of raping the primary-school-age girl, seven counts of causing her to engage in sexual activity and two of engaging in sexual activity in her presence. He was charged with raping the woman once. The two victims are not related.

Bushby, of Nelson Street, ultimately admitted all the charges and appeared for sentence on Friday.

Prosecutor Jeremy Hill-Baker said Bushby had sexually abused the girl on several occasions.

The victim’s father said his daughter’s terrible ordeal had “ripped my family apart”.

He said his daughter had since lost her trust in men, had self-harmed and had suicidal thoughts.

Her mother said that since Bushby’s wicked crimes, her daughter had been “angry and challenging”, and had talked of wanting to kill herself.

“It’s something no parent should have to go through,” she added.

Bushby had been bailed following his arrest for the offences against the child. He raped the adult victim about three months later, while still on bail.

Mr Hill-Baker said the young woman had gone to sleep at a friend’s house and woke to find Bushby raping her.

He said the “terrified” victim was “hysterical” and ran out of the room screaming.

Bushby was arrested again but initially denied the rape. He was ultimately caught by DNA evidence but did not admit the rape until the day he was due to be tried for the offence.

Graham Parkin, for Bushby, said his client’s best mitigation for the shocking offences were his belated guilty pleas.

He said Bushby had endured a very difficult childhood during which he was in and out of care.

“The defendant has dysfunctional beliefs about himself and others (due to) his upbringing,” added Mr Parkin.

Jailing Bushby for 17 years with an extended six-year licence period, Judge Andrew Stubbs QC told him: “This offending has had a massive impact upon (the child) and her family. She is self-harming, expressing suicidal thoughts.”

He said the rape of the adult victim had had a “significant” impact on her, adding: “She is now taking medication because of what you did to her.”

Describing Bushby as a “dangerous offender”, Mr Stubbs QC cited a probation report which stated that the rapist posed a “high risk” of committing further sex offences and a doctor’s report which recommended specialist intervention to protect the public.

The judge told Bushby he would have to serve two-thirds of the 17-year jail sentence before he could be considered for parole. If by that stage the Parole Board deemed Bushby fit for release, he would still have to serve an extended period on licence.

Bushby was also made subject to a restraining order and sexual-harm prevention order to curb his behaviour and ordered to sign on the sex-offenders’ register. All three of these orders were for life.

Following sentence, Detective Constable Michelle Neighbour, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “These cases will no doubt leave some emotional scars on those involved and I thank them for their bravery in reporting these matters.

“Bushby… preyed on his victims during a time of vulnerability. I hope that today’s sentencing brings some comfort (to the victims) and encourages others to come forward and report incidents of sexual offences.”