QUEENSFERRY MAN JOHN RUSOWIZC SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In September 2012, a man from Queensferry, John Rusowicz, was sentenced to prison for a series of child sex offences, more than five and a half years after police initially dismissed a complaint against him.

The victim, a young woman, first reported to police in 2006 that she had been sexually abused by Rusowicz, then aged 54. However, her allegations were not believed at the time, and the case was marked 'no further action.'

Prosecutor Karl Scholz told Mold Crown Court that the woman made her first allegations in December 2006. Concerned about the possibility of Rusowicz offending again, she formally re-approached authorities with her allegations in October 2011.

Following this, Rusowicz was arrested. During police interviews, he claimed he had no memory of the offences, citing his cannabis use as a possible factor affecting his recollection. Despite this, the court was shown evidence of texts and letters in which Rusowicz admitted to his actions.

Rusowicz subsequently pleaded guilty to five charges: two counts of indecency with a girl under 16 and three counts of indecent assault on a young male.

On Monday, Rusowicz was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.

Judge Niclas Parry remarked that Rusowicz had engaged in multiple acts of a sexual nature against two children, a boy and a girl, a decade earlier. He emphasized, "The long term psychological effects of such behaviour cannot be underestimated."

Defence lawyer Matthew Dunford stated that Rusowicz had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He also noted that the defendant, who had not appeared in court since the age of 21 and had no prior sexual convictions, was taking responsibility for his actions.