A man who raped and sexually abused a young girl in what police called ‘heinous’ crimes has been locked up. Connor Paul Gavin, 21, denied all the charges he faced, but detectives said a jury ‘saw through his lies and found him guilty’. He’s now starting a prison sentence of more than 14 years.
The officer in charge of the investigation said Gavin pleading not guilty made the court experience ‘incredibly difficult’ for his victim, but praised her ‘immense courage and bravery to report the utterly depraved actions he committed’.
Gavin, of Blackbrook, St Helens, was found guilty after a trial by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court last month. He was charged with nine counts of rape and sexual assault of a child under 13, all of which he denied.
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But on Friday, November 17, he was sentenced to 14 years and nine months for his vile crimes.
Detective Constable Lesley Prendergast, who led the investigation, said: “Throughout the whole process, the investigation and the trial, Gavin continued to deny all the allegations made against him. Thankfully the jury saw through his lies and found him guilty.
“His denial and not accepting what he has done has been incredibly difficult for the victim. She has showed immense courage and bravery to report the utterly depraved actions he committed.
“As you can imagine for victims of such an appalling crime, the impact on them is significant and long-lasting. I hope this sentence provides some comfort in knowing they did the right thing to report Gavin’s heinous crime to us.”
Detective Inspector Yoseph Al-Ramadhan added: “Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm, and we take all such reports extremely seriously. If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.
“We have a dedicated team of specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion and will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
