Duncan James Waterhouse

Duncan James Waterhouse, 45, from Keswick in Cumbria, has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to 20 sexual offences involving children. The offences, committed over a six-year period ending in February 2016, targeted four underage victims and included acts of sexual abuse that profoundly impacted their lives.

At Carlisle Crown Court, the court heard details of Waterhouse's predatory behaviour, which involved intentionally touching underage children, causing them to view images of sexual activity, and engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with them. Specifically, he admitted to 12 counts of intentionally touching an underage child, four counts of causing an underage child to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity, two counts of causing an underage child to watch a person engaging in sexual activity, and two charges of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with an underage child. Judge Peter Davies described Waterhouse's actions as 'corrupt', stating, 'your behaviour was corrupt, and the corruptness was yours'. The judge noted the devastating effects on the victims, explaining that the crimes had 'shattered' one child's future and left another as 'merely a shell'.

In addition to the eight-year custodial sentence, Waterhouse was subjected to a five-year extended licence period. He has been placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely and must comply with the strict terms of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. Furthermore, he is barred from working with children and vulnerable adults. The case was investigated by Cumbria Police, with Detective Constable Paul Scougal describing Waterhouse as a 'predatory paedophile whose actions were utterly perverse and deplorable'. The sentencing took place at Carlisle Crown Court, under the jurisdiction of HM Courts and Tribunals Service.