JOHN CASSON SENTENCED IN MARYPORT FOR CHILD RAPE CASES

In a case that has shocked the community of Maryport, John Casson, a man with a disturbing history of child abuse, has been sentenced to a decade in prison for his heinous crimes against a young girl. The court proceedings revealed a troubling pattern of sexual offenses committed by Casson, who was 55 years old at the time of sentencing.

According to court records, Casson was convicted of multiple counts of rape and indecent assault involving a girl who was between the ages of seven and thirteen. The most severe of these crimes involved two separate rapes when the victim was only seven years old. During police interviews, Casson admitted that the number of times he assaulted the girl was much higher than initially reported, indicating a prolonged period of abuse.

The case came to light after the victim, who had kept her suffering hidden for years, decided to come forward. Her decision was prompted by her hearing about police investigations into allegations that Casson had also raped two other girls, aged twelve. She disclosed to authorities that Casson had sexually assaulted her on a regular basis, sometimes two to four times each month. During police questioning, Casson did not deny her account, instead confirming that her description of the abuse was accurate.

Despite the severity of these crimes, Casson was acquitted earlier in July 2009 of raping two other girls who were just twelve years old at the time. The jury in that case was not informed of Casson’s prior guilty pleas related to child rape, which has sparked controversy and calls for legal reform. Judge Barbara Forrester acknowledged the not guilty verdict but emphasized the profound impact of the crimes Casson admitted to, stating, “No child should ever have to go through what she did physically, or mentally, as a young woman, and it is all your responsibility.”

Greg Hoare, representing Casson, expressed that his client felt remorseful for his actions. However, Judge Forrester was quick to point out that Casson showed no remorse during the time of the offenses, noting, “You continued to rape her until you believed she would report you, then you stopped, to protect yourself.”

Earlier this month, Casson spent four days in court as a jury examined evidence related to the allegations involving the two twelve-year-old girls, now in their twenties. The prosecution sought to reveal Casson’s prior conviction for child rape, but Judge Forrester ruled against this, citing concerns that such knowledge could prejudice the jury and hinder a fair trial. Ultimately, the jury, composed of four women and eight men, found Casson not guilty of the two recent rapes.

It was only after the verdict that the jury was informed of Casson’s earlier guilty pleas concerning the abuse of the young girl. The mother of one of the alleged victims expressed her frustration and announced her intention to campaign for legal changes that would require juries to be informed of relevant past convictions in similar cases.

In sentencing, Judge Forrester handed Casson a total of ten years in prison for all charges. She stated that Casson would serve half of this sentence before being released on license. Additionally, he will be required to register as a sex offender indefinitely and will be prohibited from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of sixteen upon his release. The case has left a lasting scar on the community of Maryport, highlighting the importance of legal reforms and the ongoing fight against child abuse.