CONNOR ATKINSON'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN GLUSBURN AND KEIGHLEY LEISURE CENTRE

In July 2019, Connor Atkinson, a 20-year-old man from Glusburn, was sentenced to three years in a young offender institution after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences committed across Yorkshire. The court heard that Atkinson had engaged in a disturbing pattern of voyeurism and sexual assault, targeting women in various locations, including a leisure centre in Keighley.

According to court proceedings, Atkinson’s criminal activities began with an assault on a woman dog walker in Northallerton during the summer of the previous year. Prosecutor Paul Abrahams detailed that Atkinson had followed the woman along a public footpath, then physically grabbed her and touched her indecently, marking the start of his series of offences.

Prior to this, Atkinson had been subject to a community order issued by Teeside Crown Court on January 25, which also included a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). This order explicitly prohibited him from following or approaching lone females, yet he continued to offend. His subsequent crimes included an incident in Harrogate, where he put his hand up a young woman’s skirt and touched her bottom as she was walking along a narrow pathway.

Most notably, Atkinson committed two voyeurism offences at Keighley Leisure Centre on January 29 and February 4. During these incidents, he was caught peering over the doors of women’s changing cubicles while they were undressing after swimming sessions. One mother, who was with her young daughter at the time, discovered Atkinson spying on her through the cubicle door. When challenged by another woman who caught him in the act, Atkinson fled the scene.

Another victim, a woman dressed in her bra and leggings after an adult swimming class, also fell prey to Atkinson’s voyeuristic behaviour when he peered over her cubicle door. These actions caused significant distress to the victims, who were simply trying to change in privacy.

Atkinson pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and two counts of voyeurism, which involved observing women during private moments for his sexual gratification. The court was informed that the Crown was concerned about his pattern of moving from area to area, committing similar offences at different locations.

Judge Jonathan Gibson sentenced Atkinson to a total of three years in a young offender institution. Additionally, he revoked the original Sexual Harm Prevention Order and replaced it with a more stringent ten-year order. This new order requires Atkinson to wear a location monitoring device upon his release from custody. The judge emphasized the impact of Atkinson’s actions, stating that his victims had been left shocked and distressed by his behaviour.

Furthermore, Atkinson was ordered to sign the sex offender register indefinitely, underscoring the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.