Shaun Fuller

Shaun Fuller, a 40-year-old resident of Todmorden Road, Burnley, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for committing multiple sexual offences against a 15-year-old girl in 2021. The offences occurred inside a property in Burnley, Lancashire, where Fuller raped the victim on three separate occasions. In one particularly harrowing incident in July 2021, the victim awoke to find Fuller sexually assaulting her.

The victim, who was still at school at the time, bravely disclosed the abuse to her mother in March 2023, prompting an immediate report to Lancashire Constabulary. Fuller was arrested shortly thereafter and charged with three counts of raping a girl aged 13 to 15 and one count of sexual assault on a female. Following a trial at Burnley Crown Court, he was found guilty on all counts.

On 17 November 2025, Fuller returned to Burnley Crown Court for sentencing. In addition to the 15-year custodial term, he was made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and required to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. The court heard a poignant impact statement from the victim, who detailed the profound and lasting effects of Fuller's actions on her life.

When the incidents with Shaun happened I was still at school. This all had a massive impact on my education, I often struggled to focus/concentrate at school. I didn't get the results I wanted at school and my school work was affected. In school I struggled to maintain friendships due to what Shaun did to me. All my friends at school used to talk about their relationships and boyfriends. I struggled to talk about anything like this because of what happened to me. I knew I couldn't talk about what had happened to me so I used to keep myself to myself.

I now struggle to trust anyone, especially males. If I found out someone liked me, I used to cry and would feel uncomfortable as this would trigger the bad memories from Shaun. I also struggle to make friends due to this. I have lost contact with my old friends due to moving away and struggle to make new friends. I find it hard to engage in sexual relationships due to the flashbacks I get with Shaun.

My mental health has been impacted massively. I have since received therapy from a free service which made it even worse by bringing up everything that happened to me. I struggle to open up and talk about it. I try to block everything out, that's how I deal with it. When it all came out and the police got involved I struggled even more - I didn't eat, I didn't sleep, I never used to leave my room. I used to sit and rock in my room and bang my head on the wall to try and numb the pain.

I now don't go out and don't like opening up about what happened to me.

I want Shaun to know the impact all of this has had on me, and how it will continue to impact me for the rest of my life.

Detective Constable Sarah Holmes, from Lancashire Constabulary's East Child Protection Team, commented on the case, describing Fuller as 'a purely wicked individual who robbed the victim of her childhood due to his sordid sexual interests.' She highlighted the victim's courage in coming forward and condemned Fuller's decision to contest the charges, forcing the victim through a trial despite his knowledge of the crimes. Holmes welcomed the sentence as reflective of the seriousness of the offences and the ongoing danger Fuller poses to female children.

The case was prosecuted by Lancashire Constabulary, underscoring their commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals from sexual exploitation. Fuller's conviction serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of child sex offences and the importance of reporting such crimes to ensure perpetrators are held accountable.