Christopher James Attwood

A 39-year-old man from Poole, Dorset, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for a series of child sex offences committed over a decade. Christopher James Attwood, of Countess Close, was found guilty at Bournemouth Crown Court of two counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault. The offences targeted young girls in the Bournemouth, Poole, and Southampton areas, with victims as young as primary school age.

The first victim reported the abuse to Dorset Police in August 2018, detailing how she had been raped and sexually assaulted by Attwood at an address in Bournemouth in 2002, when she was just 11 years old. Following this report, a second victim came forward in March 2021, describing repeated sexual abuse by Attwood between 2001 and 2011, beginning when she was of primary school age. These brave accounts enabled Dorset Police's Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT) to conduct a thorough investigation, leading to Attwood's conviction after an earlier trial.

Sentencing occurred on 3rd November 2022 at Bournemouth Crown Court. In addition to the 19-year custodial sentence, Attwood has been placed on the sex offenders' register for life and made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. The court recognised the severity of the crimes, which involved the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable children over several years.

Detective Constable Ade Stocker of Dorset Police’s CAIT praised the victims' courage, stating: “I would like to praise the first victim in this case for her commitment and immense courage in reporting what happened to her. With the support of her family and friends Dorset Police was able to complete a detailed investigation, which has led to Attwood’s conviction. I hope the outcome of this case demonstrates that we will extensively and thoroughly investigate incidents of this nature and I would encourage any victims of sexual abuse to come forward and report it to Dorset Police.”

Detective Constable Sara Watts added: “I would like to pay tribute to the second victim in this case and her family for their bravery in reporting these offences and allowing Dorset Police to carry out a thorough investigation. I am pleased that Christopher Attwood is now serving a term of imprisonment for his offending that he subjected his victims to. I hope this case demonstrates that we take reports of this nature extremely seriously and Dorset Police will continue to fully support victims of sexual abuse.” The case underscores the importance of victim testimonies in securing justice for historical sexual offences.