Peter Kitching

Peter Kitching, a 56-year-old man from Central Drive, Rossington, near Doncaster, was sentenced at Hull Crown Court for a series of sexual offences against two young girls, both under the age of 13. The court heard that Kitching had targeted the girls in completely separate incidents in the Hull area, demonstrating a clear and established sexual interest in children. Described by the prosecution as a 'sexual menace', Kitching initially denied the allegations because he did not want to be labelled as a sex offender, struggling to accept his actions.

The offences came to light after reports were made to the police regarding the first victim, which subsequently uncovered similar abuse against a second girl. Kitching admitted to sexually assaulting the girls, including intimate touching, and inciting them to engage in sexual activity, such as asking for photographs to be sent to him. These actions caused significant pain and harm to the victims and their families, blighting their childhoods in ways that may never fully recover, as stated by Judge John Thackray KC.

During the hearing, prosecuting barrister David Godfrey emphasised Kitching's predatory nature, calling him a 'coward, a predator and calculating'. In mitigation, Rachel Scott noted that Kitching had denied the offences in a pre-sentence report but ultimately pleaded guilty on the day of the scheduled trial, after being on bail for a lengthy period. She highlighted his struggle to accept his behaviour and the culture shock of imprisonment, where he could undertake work to address his issues. Kitching had no previous convictions for sexual offences but was employed until the sentencing, after which he lost his job.

Judge Thackray acknowledged the late guilty plea and elements of denial and minimisation in Kitching's attitude, questioning the genuineness of his remorse. As Kitching was led away, a woman in the public gallery shouted, 'I hope you rot.' The case was reported by Hull Live, with coverage by court reporter Mark Naylor on 23 December 2025.