GRAHAM COUGILL SENTENCED IN ACCRINGTON AND BLACKBURN FOR HORRIFIC SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST YOUNG GIRLS

In a case that has shocked the communities of Accrington and Blackburn, Graham Toby Cougill was sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offences committed against three young girls in East Lancashire. The crimes, which took place over a span of two and a half years, involved rape, indecent assault, and other sexual misconduct, with one of the victims being as young as just seven years old.

Cougill, aged 24 and described as having no fixed address at the time, pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, six counts of indecent assault, and two additional sexual offences. The court heard that his offending occurred at various locations within the Blackburn and Accrington areas, causing significant distress to the victims and their families.

Prosecutor Mr. Mark Lamberty, representing the Crown at Preston Crown Court, detailed the disturbing nature of the crimes. One of the girls confided to police that Cougill had raped her and forced her to perform sexual acts, even offering her money to do so. Following her statement, the other two victims also came forward, revealing that Cougill had shown them pornographic films and engaged in sexual acts with them.

All three girls were subjected to rape by Cougill, whose actions left lasting scars. The mother of one of the victims expressed her outrage after the sentencing, stating, “In my eyes the sentence is not long enough. He should have got 12 years for each rape. They have to live with this for the rest of their lives.” She added that they now hope to move forward, but the pain remains.

The father of another victim also voiced his anger, saying, “I think he should have got more. If I could get my hands on him I would kill him. I will never move on from this. It will always be at the back of my mind.”

During the hearing, Cougill’s defense lawyer, Mr. Kevin Talbot, acknowledged the gravity of the offences and the likelihood of a lengthy prison sentence. He highlighted that Cougill’s guilty pleas had spared the victims from reliving their traumatic experiences in court. Mr. Talbot conveyed that Cougill expressed genuine remorse for his actions and accepted that his behaviour had caused significant harm to the girls.

Detective Inspector Neil Hunter, commenting after the case, emphasized the importance of the sentence, stating, “The length of this sentence clearly reflects the seriousness of these assaults and the effect that they had on the victims. I only hope they can take some shred of comfort from this and feel that, in some way, justice has been done and they can re-build their lives.”

Judge Peter Smith, presiding over the case, took into account Cougill’s guilty pleas and remorse when determining the sentence. Cougill was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the rapes, with additional concurrent sentences for the other offences. The judge also imposed a five-year extended license period, barred Cougill from working with children, and issued a sexual offences prevention order to prevent future harm.