CHRISTOPHER TODD SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON IN DARLINGTON FOR RAPE OF YOUNG BOY
A wedding photographer named Christopher Todd has been sentenced to four years in prison for raping a young boy in the early 2000s.The victim, who is legally protected and cannot be named, was sexually assaulted on two separate occasions when he was between ten and 11 years old.
This morning, the 31-year-old Todd was confronted with the profound impact his actions have had on the victim's life.
In a heartfelt personal statement, the survivor described how the abuse affected his relationships with his parents and friends.
He expressed, "I would like to talk about the years of emotional abuse this man has caused me, the years of shame and guilt that I have struggled to endure.
The countless times I have asked myself why didn’t you stop that happening and why did you let that happen.
The nightmares I have suffered replaying the events in my mind over and over, fantasising about doing something different about the attacks." The court heard that Todd, of Grangeside, Darlington, maintains his innocence, with his lawyer Christine Egerton asserting that he denies responsibility for the crimes.
The trial, which lasted a week at Teesside Crown Court, revealed that the young boy was attacked while playing on a PlayStation inside Todd’s Darlington home, when Todd was a teenager.
Additionally, the court was told about a disturbing encounter in April 2019, when the victim, now an adult, unexpectedly saw Todd in Darlington’s B&M store.
The sight triggered traumatic memories, leading the victim to confront Todd in the store’s car park and attack him.
Judge James Brown stated, "I find that he still lives with the impact of your behaviour all those years ago and I find the impact to be profound."
