ROGER BEESTON OF SWANAGE JAILED FOR RAPE OF 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN DORSET

In a case that has shocked the community of Swanage and the wider Dorset area, a local builder named Roger Beeston has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving a young girl. The incident, which took place six years prior, involved Beeston, aged 42 at the time, committing a sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl while her mother was present in the same house, unaware of the attack unfolding just a few rooms away.

Beeston, who resided on Ulwell Road in Swanage, was employed to carry out renovation work on the family’s residence. The court heard that during the course of his work, he exploited the trust placed in him by the family. The young girl, who was in the house at the time, went downstairs to prepare coffee. Seizing the opportunity, Beeston followed her, dragged her into the dining room, and committed the assault. The girl later testified that she was a virgin and that the attack had a profound and lasting impact on her life.

Judge John Beashel, presiding over the case at Bournemouth Crown Court, sentenced Beeston to eight years in prison for the rape. Additionally, he received a two-year sentence, to run concurrently, for a separate incident of indecent assault on the same girl that occurred shortly before the rape. The court also imposed a three-month sentence, to be served consecutively, because Beeston had absconded during his trial.

The judge did not hold back in his remarks, describing Beeston’s actions as “brazen” and “cynical,” especially considering the presence of the girl’s mother in the house at the time. He emphasized the severity of the crime, stating that only a long prison sentence could be justified given the circumstances. Furthermore, Beeston was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was permanently banned from working with children. The court also mandated that he must not be alone with any girl under 16 without adult supervision for the next ten years, except for family members.

During the sentencing hearing, Beeston’s defense attorney, Hamish Dunlop, highlighted that Beeston, who has a 15-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter, had contributed positively to society and was a good father and husband. It was noted that Beeston had separated from his wife after nearly two decades of marriage following his arrest in February of the previous year, although she was present in court during the proceedings.

Following the conviction, the victim, now a teenager, spoke out about the lasting effects of Beeston’s abuse. She expressed relief at the justice served but also shared the emotional toll the ordeal has taken on her. “It has affected me for the last eight years and I can now finally try and get on with the rest of my life,” she said. “Forming relationships with other men has been very difficult, and reliving what he did to me in court was a horrendous experience.”