Wakefield man jailed for serious child sex offences
Ben Cooper assaulted a young girl in Castleford in April 2022.
Last updated 13th Sep 2023
A man from Wakefield has been jailed for serious sexual offences against a child.
Ben Cooper, 33, was sentenced to eight years at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday 12th September.
He was found guilty of assaulting a young girl at an address in Castleford in April 2022.
The sentencing followed an investigation by Wakefield District Safeguarding Unit, which began after the team received a disclosure from a family member in October last year.
Cooper, of Ken Churchill Drive in Horbury, was promptly arrested following the disclosure and charged with two counts of penetration and one count of sexual touching.
He denied all charges when he appeared before magistrates on 7th October 2022.
In June 2023, he was found guilty of all three charges and remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.
Detective Sergeant Will Denton of Wakefield District Safeguarding Unit, who led the investigation, said:
“We welcome the sentencing handed to Cooper, who showed no remorse throughout a difficult and emotional trial for all concerned.
“There can be no doubt he is a risk to children and deserves to be behind bars. I hope this result will encourage any other victims of sexual abuse to engage with our specially trained officers who treat all reports seriously and sensitively and work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.”