Newcastle man jailed after admitting child sex offences
Simon Grand abused his victims a number of years ago
A child sex offender in north Staffordshire has been jailed for 18-years after we launched an investigation into allegations against him.
Simon Grand, 35, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, abused the victims a number of years ago before they bravely came forward and told us what happened.
We questioned Grand and after initially denying any wrongdoing he eventually admitted the offences. This was due to the evidence against him being so strong.
Today (Friday 12 April), he appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court and was sentenced to 18-years imprisonment, with an extended license period of eight years, for three counts of raping a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
He was also made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and put on the sex offenders register for life.
Detective Constable Mai Briggs has praised the survivors "courage and sheer bravery":
“I’d like to recognise the crucial role they played in securing justice. The impact this has had on them should not be underestimated. I would like to personally thank them for their support throughout this entire investigation.
“We will continue to work with our partners to protect children from harm, to protect and safeguard children and prevent cases like this one.
“I hope this sentencing shows how passionate we are about supporting victims of sexual assault and taking robust action against those responsible, no matter how recent the offences may be.”
If you’re a survivor of sexual assault, get in touch with specialist officers who can speak to you in confidence. Call 101 or message us using Live Chat on our website.