Patrick Costelloe

Patrick Costelloe, a resident of Chesford Road in Luton, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following a five-day trial at Luton Crown Court. He was convicted of multiple serious sexual offences against children, including indecent assault, attempted rape, and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The abuses occurred between 2004 and 2006, targeting victims as young as seven years old.

One victim, who was aged seven and eight at the time of the abuse, detailed the profound and lasting impact in her victim impact statement. She described living with the trauma for 20 years, stating: "For 20 years, I have had to live with what happened to me. It has affected all aspects of my life and I’ve hidden it for so long that I feel like I don’t know who I am anymore. Whenever I think about what happened, I feel scared, dirty and lost. I’ve isolated myself, avoided interaction with others and missed out on doing things most teenagers and young adults would normally do." She only disclosed the abuse to a family member years later as an adult, which led to the police investigation.

Police also received a report from a second victim who was sexually abused by Costelloe in 2006 when she was nine years old. The case was investigated by Bedfordshire Police, with Detective Constable Natalie Miller commenting on the severity of the crimes: "Child sexual abuse is one of the most heinous of crimes and we work tirelessly to support the victims through an investigation and bring these perpetrators to justice. I am pleased Costelloe received a lengthy sentence after he thought it was acceptable to take advantage of, sexually abuse and inflict pain and trauma on two young girls in the way that he did." Miller emphasised the importance of reporting such offences, noting that they often involve serial abusers and that justice can be sought regardless of when the incident occurred.

In addition to the 12-year custodial sentence, Costelloe was subjected to a lifetime notification requirement and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to protect the public from further offences. The case underscores the long-term effects of child sexual abuse and the role of victim testimonies in securing convictions, as reported by ITV News Anglia on 28 March 2023.