Weymouth man jailed for 23 years for historic sexual offences
A Weymouth man's been found guilty of three charges of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and one offence of indecency with a child
Last updated 20th Oct 2021
A Weymouth man has been jailed for more than 20 years for a series of sexual offences dating back around 30 years.
Mark Paul Slater, aged 65 and of Beverley Road, Weymouth, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court to 23 years in prison on Monday 18 October 2021 after being found guilty following a trial of three charges of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and one offence of indecency with a child.
Victims all under 16
The offences occurred in Weymouth in between 1988 and 1993. A total of 11 charges related to the same victim, who was aged between 14 and 15 when she was sexually abused and raped on a number of occasions by the defendant.
She first came forward to police in 2017 and further enquiries by officers revealed three other victims who had been the subject of Slater’s offending. They had all been teenagers aged under 16 at the time of the offences.
Slater attended for an interview at Weymouth Police Station in May 2018 but denied the allegations.
Victim's strength and courage praised
Detective Constable Montrose, of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “Not only did Mark Slater subject his victims to horrific sexual abuse when they were young, he compounded that by denying his offending and subjecting them to the ordeal of a trial many years later when they are all adults.
“This has been a complex investigation and involved some of the victims giving evidence remotely from different countries around the world where they are now living.
“I want to thank the victims for the strength and courage they have shown in coming forward, supporting the investigation and giving evidence that helped to secure the conviction of Slater so he could be held accountable for his abusive behaviour.”