WELLINGBOROUGH MAN JAILED FOR NON-RECENT SEXUAL ABUSE
A man found guilty of multiple sexual assaults against two young women has been sentenced to over three years in prison.In 2021, Northamptonshire Police received a report from a woman claiming that Stuart Harris, aged 61, had been abusing her for over a decade.
Officers spoke with the victim, who revealed that Harris started sexually abusing her during her teenage years.
She described how he inappropriately touched her when they were alone, despite her protests to stop, and threatened her to keep silent about the ongoing abuse.
As the investigation progressed, a second victim came forward, stating that Harris had also sexually abused her for at least three years.
Harris was arrested and faced multiple charges related to the sexual offences committed against both women.
He denied the allegations.
However, after a trial at Northampton Crown Court, which he chose not to attend, Harris was found guilty on May 29 of three counts of sexual abuse involving a female aged 16 or over.
Later, on September 10, Harris, residing on Bourton Way in Wellingborough, was sentenced in his absence to three years and six months in prison, following his failure to appear in court again.
He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and ordered to pay a surcharge.
Detective Constable Fay Maskell of CID North commented: “Stuart Harris exploited a position of trust to repeatedly abuse two young women, threatening them into silence for many years.
“I am proud that both survivors, despite Harris’s attempts to control them, found the strength to speak out.
Their bravery ensured that a jury recognized his true nature as an abuser.
“The courage shown by both women during the reporting and trial process is admirable, and I wish them well as they continue their recovery from this trauma.
“Harris is now a wanted man, a convicted sex offender, and we are actively working to locate him so he can serve his sentence.
Justice has already caught up with him, and we will bring him into custody.” *This report has been provided with the cooperation of the survivors, who are protected by lifelong anonymity laws.*
