In 2018, the Offender Database reported that Simon Turnbull, then 34, of Fairhill Road, Penrith, Cumbria, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court.
Simon Turnbull was jailed for 14 years after pleading guilty to one count of child rape and a multiple-incident charge involving the repeated rape of a child under the age of 13. The court heard that the horrific offences took place over seven months between January and July 2018, during which Simon Turnbull subjected the victim to a “persistent course of conduct” for his own sexual gratification.
The prosecution detailed the profound trauma inflicted upon the victim, noting that during police interviews, the child was so distressed she was unable to speak and had to communicate by writing in a notebook. Prosecutor Tim Evans informed the court that the victim explicitly expressed her hatred for Simon Turnbull, illustrating the deep psychological scars left by his actions.
Despite having no previous criminal convictions, a probation officer noted that Simon Turnbull exhibited an “alarming lack of victim empathy” during the legal process. Judge Peter Davies described the impact of the crimes as “devastation”. He emphasised that the multiple incident charge accounted for at least four separate occasions of rape in addition to the primary count.
Simon Turnbull’s 14-year sentence reflects the severity of the attacks and the extreme vulnerability of the young victim. In addition to his lengthy prison term, Simon Turnbull was ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely and remains subject to strict post-release monitoring.
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