JOHN WOOD FROM CANTERBURY AND CHADDESDEN SENTENCED FOR MONSTROUS SEXUAL OFFENSES

In a case that has spanned over a decade, John Wood, a man residing in Chaddesden near Derby and originally from Canterbury, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for heinous sexual crimes committed against two young sisters. The conviction comes after a lengthy investigation that ultimately linked Wood to the offenses through DNA evidence, which proved pivotal in bringing him to justice.

Wood's criminal activities came to light when he was apprehended for shoplifting in Derby, where he was caught stealing toothpaste, batteries, and a jar of pasta sauce, totaling just over £10.26. During the process of being detained, he was required to provide a DNA sample, which matched genetic material found at the scene of the 1998 attack on the two girls in Canterbury, Kent. This crucial evidence led to his confession and subsequent guilty plea to multiple charges, including the rape and indecent assault of an 11-year-old girl, as well as gross indecency and indecent assault on her nine-year-old sister.

The horrific assault took place in September 1998, when Wood infiltrated the girls' home in Canterbury. During the attack, he threatened the young victims with a knife, warning them that he would harm them if they screamed. Their mother, who was away working a night shift for the first time that evening, was unaware of the danger her children faced. Wood subjected the two girls to a terrifying ordeal that lasted approximately one hour, during which he used the threat of violence to control and terrorize them.

Judge Anthony Balston of Maidstone Crown Court in Kent considered the possibility of a life sentence but ultimately decided that, given Wood's age at the time of sentencing, a 15-year term was appropriate. In his remarks, the judge emphasized the brutality of the attack, highlighting how Wood's use of a knife and threats inflicted lasting trauma on the young victims. The judge stated, “This was a brutal attack in which you used the knife, or the threat of one, to impose yourself on these unfortunate children. It must have been clear to you at the time that they would suffer for what you did.”

The mother of the girls, who chose to remain unnamed, expressed her anguish and the lasting impact of the assault on her family. She reflected on the pain her daughters continue to endure, saying, “I don’t know how we’ve coped as a family and how we got through it, but we felt he would never be caught. His arrest and this case have reopened all those wounds. His sentence today will not bring back their childhood, and as a mother, I wish I could give them that back. We wanted to be here today to draw a line under this terrible chapter.”

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Roberts, who led the investigation, described the case as one of the most serious sexual offenses he has encountered. He condemned Wood’s actions as “despicable, vile, cowardly, and monstrous,” emphasizing that Wood believed he had evaded justice for nearly 13 years. Roberts also noted that upon release, Wood will be subject to supervision for ten years and will remain on the sexual offenders register for life, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.