ALFRED KNAPTON SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN HIPPERHOLME

In December 2010, a man from Hipperholme was sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being convicted of heinous sexual offenses involving young girls. Alfred Lenin Knapton, aged 70 and residing at Sunny Mount in Hipperholme, was found guilty on multiple counts of sexual assault and rape following a trial held the previous month.

Alfred Knapton faced eight counts of rape and three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a minor. The court also learned that he had previously admitted to creating indecent images of one of the victims, a girl who was only 14 years old at the time. These images were taken on his sofa, and Knapton bizarrely claimed that the photographs were part of a recreation of a scene from the film Titanic, which he described as “artistic.”

The jury was informed that Knapton had subjected the girls to repeated abuse over a period spanning from 2002 to 2009. The older girl was first raped by Knapton on her 14th birthday, after he had intoxicated her while his wife was away at a line-dancing competition. The abuse did not stop there; he continued to assault her regularly until she reached the age of 18. The trauma inflicted on her was severe, leading her to develop mental health issues such as pulling out her own hair and damaging her teeth.

The case came to light when social services initiated an investigation into allegations made by the younger girl in 2009. A teacher, overhearing the girl discussing her experiences with friends, alerted the police. This led to a raid on Knapton’s residence, where officers discovered the disturbing photographs stored on his camera. Further investigation revealed that Knapton had copied these images onto his computer and printed copies of them.

During the sentencing hearing at Leeds Crown Court, Knapton showed no visible emotion as Judge Christopher Batty detailed the extent of his crimes and how they had devastated the lives of the victims. The judge remarked that Knapton, who was once considered a man of good character, hardworking, and a family man, had committed acts that made his victims’ lives “truly miserable.”

As part of his sentence, Knapton will serve half of the 15-year term before being eligible for release at the age of 77. He has also been disqualified from working with children and is required to register as a sex offender. Detective Inspector Gail Lawrie from West Yorkshire Police emphasized the commitment of the police’s safeguarding units to thoroughly investigating sex offenses and providing ongoing support to victims. She expressed hope that the court’s decision would bring some measure of closure for those affected, acknowledging the bravery of the victims in coming forward and seeking justice.