Man pleads guilty to non-recent sexual assaults in Hitchin
A 71-year-old man from Northampton admitted charges at Cambridge Crown Court after a joint investigation into non-recent child sexual offences
A man pleaded guilty yesterday (Thursday, 14 November) to a series of non-recent sexual offences committed in Hitchin during the 1980s.
Makhan Singh Mauji, 71, from North Priors Coury, Northampton, entered his guilty pleas four days into a trial at Cambridge Crown Court. The offences, which took place between July 1983 and August 1987, were investigated by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Major Crime Unit and the Hertfordshire Joint Child Protection Investigation Team.
Mauji pleaded guilty to the following charges:
One count of attempted rape of a child under 16
Two counts of gross indecency with a child under 14
Eight counts of indecent assault against a child under 14
Two counts of indecent assault against a child under 16
One further charge of indecent assault against a child under 14 has been ordered to lie on file.
The incidents occurred in various locations around Hitchin, including a Gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship. Mauji was a Granthi at the time and used his position to exploit his victims, both in the Gurdwara and in their own homes.
Mauji has been released on bail, with conditions including the surrender of his passport, wearing an electronic tag, and observing a curfew. He is scheduled for sentencing at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday, 20 December.
Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins, from the BCH Major Crime Unit, praised the courage of the victims who came forward. She said: “I cannot praise the brave victims who have come forward to bring Mauji to justice enough. This trial would have been difficult for the victims, discussing incidents that have had long-lasting impacts on them. I hope that seeing Mauji being sentenced for his abhorrent crimes will help bring some closure to them.”
She added, “We know it can be incredibly challenging to come forward to report incidents of sexual assault. We take reports of sexual offences very seriously, and we will do everything we can to ensure that victims feel like their voices are heard and that offenders are brought to justice.”
Victims of sexual assault, regardless of when the offence occurred, are encouraged to report incidents. Support is available through the Herts Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), which offers practical and emotional assistance, including forensic medical examinations for those who wish to undergo them.
For more information or to report a crime, victims can contact the police online, through web chat, or by calling the non-emergency number 101.