MARK DUCKWORTH SHOCKING SEX ABUSE CASE IN COLNE AND PETERBOROUGH

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Colne and Peterborough, a man named Mark Duckworth has been convicted and sentenced for heinous acts of sexual abuse involving a young girl. The incident, which took place several years ago in Colne, has left a lasting impact on the victim, who was subjected to repeated sexual assaults by Duckworth during that period.

Details emerged during a court hearing that Duckworth, now aged 49, was found to have a significant collection of child abuse images stored on his computer equipment at the time of his arrest. Police investigations revealed that Duckworth had accumulated a total of 165 indecent images on a USB flash drive and 51 diskettes. Among these images, eleven were classified at level four, which is just one level below the most severe classification of level five. Some of the girls depicted in these images appeared to be of a similar age to the victim, raising further concerns about the nature of the material he possessed.

The court was informed that during police interviews in July 2012, Duckworth denied the allegations of sexual misconduct, asserting that he had never been alone with the girl and suggesting that she was merely seeking attention. Despite his denials, evidence against him was substantial. Duckworth, who resides in Peterborough, was ultimately sentenced to 18 months in prison. In addition to his incarceration, he was handed a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with any female under the age of 16. The order also grants police the authority to monitor his internet activity to prevent further offenses.

Furthermore, Duckworth is required to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years. The prosecution, led by Jon Close, highlighted that the majority of the images—152 out of 165—were at the lowest level of severity, with only two images classified at level three. The images depicted children as young as six years old, underscoring the disturbing nature of the material found on his devices. When authorities searched Duckworth’s home following his arrest, they also seized additional computer equipment. It was noted that Duckworth had previously received a caution for a charge of common assault.

During the court proceedings, Kathryn Johnson, representing Duckworth, expressed optimism about the potential for rehabilitation, stating, “The probation service do feel they can work with the defendant. They don’t make that recommendation in all cases of this nature.”

Judge Andrew Woolman, who presided over the case, addressed Duckworth directly during sentencing. He acknowledged the defendant’s mental health struggles, including post-traumatic stress disorder and episodes of depression, which may have been exacerbated by the ongoing legal proceedings. The judge also noted that Duckworth had experienced self-harm incidents within the past year, likely linked to the case. In his remarks, Judge Woolman emphasized the gravity of Duckworth’s repeated abuse, stating, “This was repeated behaviour to a young child, which has caused some damage to her,” highlighting the lasting harm inflicted on the victim.