Luke Richardson

A man from Debenham, Suffolk, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after abusing two young girls over a period of more than a decade.

Luke Richardson, 33, formerly of Great Back Lane, Debenham, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court where Judge Richard Kelly detailed the horrific abuse suffered by the victims. The court heard that Richardson had groomed the first victim when she was aged just five, normalising sexualised behaviour under the pretence of a “game”. He would make the abuse seem like a game that ended when the victim kissed him on the lips, and later, when she was aged between nine and ten, he rubbed his genitalia on her face.

Addressing Richardson, Judge Kelly said the defendant had been “infatuated” with the first victim, becoming jealous as she grew older and threatening to kill himself when feeling threatened. The victim later attempted suicide, caught between the fear of death and the ongoing abuse.

The second victim was targeted in an “entrenched campaign” of abuse from the age of 11, the court heard. Judge Kelly noted that the abuse was always carried out “away from prying eyes”, leading one victim to describe her childhood as “tainted” by Richardson’s actions.

Richardson, who was convicted after a trial, was found guilty of a total of 27 charges: 10 counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration, seven counts of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, six counts of rape, three counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching and one count of attempted rape.

In addition to the 20-year custodial sentence, Richardson was ordered to serve an extra year on licence and was made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.