Keith Sterling, a convicted Darlington Paedophile and sex offender, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for raping a woman and sexually assaulting a child.
Keith Sterling repeatedly assaulted the little girl several years ago while residing in Darlington.
The 46-year-old’s criminal behaviour was revealed after the child courageously informed school staff about the incident, prompting them to contact the police, leading to Keith Sterling’s arrest.
During the investigation, officers were approached by a lady who reported that she had been repeatedly raped by Keith Sterling over several years.
Keith Sterling, from Darlington, faced two charges of rape and four charges of sexual abuse against a minor.
He refuted the charges; nonetheless, a jury convicted him after a trial at Teesside Crown Court in September.
Keith Sterling returned back to court on Friday (November 22) where he was jailed for 17 years and handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
He will also spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
A victim impact statement read out on behalf of the young girl told the court of the psychological harm she had suffered as a result of the abuse, and how she is struggling to understand with “why her?”.
During sentencing, Recorder Aisha Wadoodi praised Durham Constabulary for the quality of the investigation – in particular the way in which the victim recorded interviews were conducted.
The investigation was led by Investigative Officer Heidi Weir and Detective Constable Amie Thornton, from Darlington Safeguarding Team.
They said: “Keith Sterling believed he could take what he wanted, and when he wanted, using his victims for his own sexual gratification with no regard whatsoever for their emotional and physical wellbeing.
“He is a cruel and manipulative individual who has shown a complete absence of remorse for what he has done.”
They added: “The young girl in this case showed incredible bravery by coming forward and telling someone what had happened to her.
“Tragically, she feared that nobody would believe her and was scared of what would happen if she told someone. No child should ever feel like this.
“But her courage has allowed us to convict Keith Sterling for not only the abuse carried on her, but to the woman he raped and abused for several years too.
“It is heartbreaking to see the devastating impact offenders like Sterling have on their victims, but we hope that they can both now start to heal and understand that it is not their fault.”
If you’ve been raped or sexually assaulted, tell us.
We believe you.
Call Durham Constabulary on 101 or 999 in an emergency, or report online at www.durham.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/
If you’re not ready to speak to police, there are other agencies who can help.
The Meadows Sexual Assault Referral Centre provides free, confidential healthcare and compassionate support to people who have experienced rape or sexual assault. Call 0330 223 0099 or visit www.sarcdurham.co.uk.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.