DESMOND COOPER SHOCKS MARSKE-BY-THE-SEA AND TEESSIDE WITH 35-YEAR-OLD SEX CRIMES REVELATION

In a landmark case that has sent shockwaves through the seaside community of Marske-by-the-Sea and the wider Teesside area, Desmond Cooper, aged 56, was finally brought to justice after evading conviction for over three decades. The lengthy delay in his prosecution was broken when a chance sighting last year led to his arrest and subsequent sentencing at Teesside Crown Court.

It was in June of the previous year that Cooper was spotted walking past a café in Saltburn, a popular seaside town near Marske-by-the-Sea. The sighting triggered a flood of traumatic memories for his former victim, who was only 11 years old at the time of the offences in the 1970s. The victim, who was present in court alongside his wife during the sentencing, was visibly distressed and unable to meet Cooper’s gaze as he was sentenced.

Prosecutor Paul Cleasby detailed the harrowing circumstances of the case, revealing that Cooper had initially silenced his young victim through threats of violence, including a threat to kill him. The victim, whose identity remains protected for legal reasons, recounted how Cooper’s abuse took place both in his car and at his home, with Cooper using intimidation and threats to coerce him into submission. Cooper also threatened to harm the victim’s younger sister if he disobeyed.

The court heard that the abuse spanned several months during 1974 and 1975, leaving a lasting impact on the victim’s life. Now a father himself, he continues to grapple with the trauma inflicted by Cooper’s predatory behavior. The victim has undergone counselling and has adopted strict measures to protect his own children, refusing to let them out at night due to fears rooted in his childhood experiences.

During the hearing, Cooper admitted to being a prolific and predatory paedophile, acknowledging that he had committed numerous child sex offences both before and after the incidents involving the victim. The judge, Judge Peter Bowers, described Cooper as a dangerous individual with a long history of offending. He noted that Cooper’s actions had caused significant harm and that the shock of seeing him after 35 years was a profound and distressing experience for the victim.

Defense lawyer Katharine Dunn requested leniency, explaining that Cooper had expressed remorse and had undergone extensive counselling and monitoring since his offences. She highlighted that Cooper had been subject to various legal restrictions, including a probation order, a custodial sentence, and a restricted hospital order. Dunn also mentioned that Cooper had attended an intensive residential course in Surrey aimed at controlling his urges and that he had not committed any further offences since then.

Despite these arguments, the judge emphasized the severity of Cooper’s crimes and the impact on his victim. Cooper was convicted of five counts of indecent assault and one attempted serious sexual offence. He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, ordered to register as a sex offender for life, and was given an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order that prohibits him from having contact with anyone under 18.

Cooper, of Vicarage Drive in Marske-by-the-Sea, was thus held accountable for his actions, which had remained hidden for decades. His case underscores the importance of vigilance and justice in addressing historic sexual offences, and it serves as a stark reminder of the long-lasting scars inflicted by such predatory behavior.