JOSEPH DYKES SENTENCED IN NORTH SHIELDS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG GIRL

Joseph Dykes, a 54-year-old male sex offender from North Shields, has been handed a seven-year prison sentence following his conviction for the sexual abuse of a young girl. The disturbing incident took place within the girl’s own home, where Dykes assaulted her, forcing her to seek refuge by hiding inside a sliding wardrobe in an attempt to escape his grasp.

It was not until five years later that the victim, who was only 15 at the time of the court proceedings, chose to disclose the abuse. During this period, she endured significant emotional and psychological distress, which manifested in self-harming behaviors and a noticeable decline in her educational attendance, missing substantial amounts of school. Her delayed disclosure highlights the profound impact such trauma can have on young victims, often causing them to suffer in silence for years.

Despite Dykes’s vehement denial of the allegations, the evidence presented during a three-day trial at Teesside Crown Court in March led to his conviction. The court heard emotional testimony from the victim, who described the lasting scars the abuse left on her life. She recounted feelings of despair, nightmares, and a sense that her childhood had been irrevocably lost due to the trauma inflicted upon her.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC presided over the case and delivered a stern judgment. He observed that Dykes displayed no remorse or acknowledgment of his wrongdoing throughout the proceedings. The judge emphasized Dykes’s apparent disinterest and lack of regret for the harm caused, which contributed to the severity of the sentence. In addition to the prison term, Dykes was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was explicitly prohibited from having any unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16.

The court also noted that Dykes was likely under the influence of alcohol at the time of the abuse, which may have impaired his judgment during the incident. The case underscored the devastating psychological and physical toll inflicted on the victim, who expressed a mixture of relief at the conviction and ongoing hatred for Dykes due to the trauma she endured. The sentencing serves as a stark reminder of the importance of justice for victims of sexual abuse and the need for strict measures to protect vulnerable children.