Scarborough man jailed for non-recent child abuse offences
A Scarborough bus driver has been found guilty of 16 offences in North and West Yorkshire
A Scarborough man found guilty of 16 non-recent child abuse offences in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire has been sent to prison for 31 years.
Trevor William Lee, aged 63, of Columbus Ravine, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today (Wednesday 18th August) following a six-day trial last month.
The offences to which he was found guilty, committed between 1995 and 2007 and involving four girl victims, include eight counts of indecent assault on a child and eight counts of gross indecency with a child.
At the conclusion of the trial, the jury could not decide on another child abuse charge against a fifth girl. They found Lee not guilty of three other such offences.
The Judge also handed him an extended three-year licence, meaning he will be immediately returned to prison if he does not comply with the strict public protection measures he will be subjected to on release.
Background to the investigation
Trevor Lee is a bus and coach driver in Scarborough who, publicly, was a respected and trusted individual with his employers and within the community.
However, he had been investigated by West Yorkshire Police in 2000 and 2006, and by North Yorkshire Police in 2008, regarding numerous child abuse allegations.
Each of the investigations resulted in no further action being taken against Lee.
However, another complaint was made to North Yorkshire Police in 2017.
Detective Constable Nick Burton from Scarborough CID began an intensive inquiry which re-examined all the allegations.
DC Burton tracked down and interviewed previous witnesses who are now adults, and other witnesses who were not traced at the time.
Working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service’s Complex Case Unit, he was able to build and develop evidence to prove that Lee carried out the child abuse in Bradford, Leeds and Scarborough.
DC Burton said: “All the victims showed astonishing determination in making complaints to North Yorkshire Police again. For some of them, it was the third time they had made a report to the police.
“Each had to re-live the most traumatic of experiences from their childhoods. I have nothing but praise for their bravery.
“Lee maintained that the abuse had never happened and that the victims were making all it all up. He showed not a shred of remorse throughout.
“This despicable man ruined their childhoods and has continued to haunt their adult lives.
“I hope the outcome at court will bring them some sense of justice and give them strength and hope to move on from their ordeal.”
Seeking further support, advice and ways of reporting child abuse
- Please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101. If you are in immediate danger, always dial 999 for an emergency response
- Victims who would prefer not to go direct to the police and are not in immediate danger, can contact Bridge House, North Yorkshire’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), on 0330 223 0362, email sarc@nhs.net or go to www.bridgehousesarc.org/
- You can also contact Supporting Victims direct at supportingvictims.org or call 01609 643100
- NSPCC Helplines: Help for adults concerned about a child – call 0808 800 5000 Help for children and young people – call Childline on 0800 1111 * Go to www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse