CHRISTOPHER RICHARDSON SENTENCED IN IPSWICH FOR RAPE AND PREGNANCY OF TEENAGER

In July 2011, Christopher Richardson, a 60-year-old man from Morland Road in Ipswich, was brought before Ipswich Crown Court to face serious criminal charges related to his abuse of a teenage girl. The court proceedings culminated in Richardson being sentenced to a decade behind bars for his heinous actions.

Richardson had initially denied the charge of raping the young girl, but during the course of the trial, he admitted to indecently assaulting her as well as another related offence of indecency. The court was presented with compelling evidence, including DNA analysis, which played a crucial role in establishing his guilt. The DNA evidence indicated that Richardson was 1.2 million times more likely to be the biological father of the child the girl was carrying than any unknown male, a fact that significantly impacted the jury’s decision.

The pregnancy was only discovered when the girl confided in her mother approximately six months after she became pregnant. This revelation prompted a thorough investigation, which ultimately led to Richardson’s conviction. The jury, after deliberating for just over two hours, found Richardson guilty of the charges against him.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge John Holt addressed Richardson directly, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. The judge pointed out that there had been multiple instances of sexual intimacy between Richardson and the underage girl, which clearly constituted abuse. He stated, “You were tried by a jury for rape and you were convicted. It is clear she did not consent to any sexual intimacy let alone rape. It is clear there were several instances of sexual intimacy.”

Judge Holt further remarked on the gravity of Richardson’s actions, noting that, aside from the girl’s age, he had made her pregnant. The judge concluded that Richardson deserved a lengthy prison sentence, reflecting the seriousness of his offences. Consequently, Richardson was sentenced to ten years for the rape charge, with an additional two years for the other offences, to be served concurrently.

Following the sentencing, Richardson’s daughter, Sam Pizey, who resides in Acle, Norfolk, spoke to The Evening Star. She expressed her family’s satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “Everyone is pleased justice has been done. We thought it was quite a long sentence and he has had a lot of health problems.” She acknowledged that some family members were deeply upset, but overall, they felt it was time to move forward. “It is years since the first complaint was made and it has been going on for a long while. It is time for us to start a new life and move on,” she added, indicating a desire to put the painful chapter behind them and focus on healing and rebuilding their lives.