PETER HUGHES FROM KILLINGWORTH SENTENCED TO 11 YEARS FOR CHILD RAPE IN NORTH TYNESIDE

In April 2021, a devastating case emerged from Killingworth, North Tyneside, involving a man named Peter Hughes who was convicted of heinous crimes against a young boy. Hughes, aged 47, was found guilty of multiple serious sexual offenses, including rape, indecent assault, and sexual assault, all committed against a child as young as six years old.

Hughes, who resides at Hadrian Court in Killingworth, had previously been cautioned in 2013 for possessing indecent images, indicating a troubling pattern of behavior. His recent guilty plea was entered during a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, where he admitted to two counts of oral rape, indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault.

The impact of Hughes' actions on his young victim has been profound and long-lasting. The victim, now an adult, provided a heartbreaking statement describing how the abuse has left him feeling worthless and haunted by memories. He recounted that Hughes' assault robbed him of his childhood innocence and has continued to affect him well into his adult life.

He shared, “What he made me do to him and what he did to me made me feel worthless about myself. I didn’t even want to be alive anymore really. I fear someone else might harm me and I’m still terrified of the dark. Sometimes I close my eyes and I see him there. Some of the dreams I have, he is there in them. All I can see is him. This sometimes prevents me from falling asleep or disturbs me when I’m sleeping.”

The victim also expressed feelings of isolation and despair, stating, “I feel I can’t have a relationship with anyone now. Who would be with me? Who would be with someone as broken as me or with someone who has been molested. My childhood has been robbed and now my adulthood has been robbed due to the anxiety I have. Peter Hughes took away my opportunity to have a proper education because of the fear and anxiety I felt in school due to what he had done to me.”

Judge Julie Clemitson sentenced Hughes to a total of 11 years in prison, with an additional extended license period of one year. Furthermore, Hughes will be required to register as a sex offender, and he will be subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and restraining order. The court emphasized the lasting damage caused by Hughes’ actions, with the judge stating, “His victim impact statement describes how you very clearly robbed him of much of his childhood and your actions have continued to have a profound impact on him into adulthood, so much so he sees no value in his own life.”

As the case concludes, the community in Killingworth and North Tyneside is reminded of the devastating effects of such crimes and the importance of justice for victims of sexual abuse.