In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Matthew Howell, then 38, of Mountcastle Walk, Newbold, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, was sentenced for the rape and sexual abuse of a child under the age of ten. On Friday, 28 June 2019, Howell appeared at Derby Crown Court, where he was handed a custodial sentence of six years and nine months after being found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict.
The investigation established that the abuse took place in the mid-90s in the north east of Derbyshire when Howell was 15. He groomed his victim with sweets and compliments, leading her to believe they were in a relationship, before subjecting her to a campaign of gross indecency, indecent assault, and rape. The victim, now a woman in her 20s, carried the trauma for many years before reporting the offences to the police following sessions with a counsellor.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Howell denied all charges, forcing his victim to give evidence during a trial at Derby Crown Court. The jury found him guilty of one count of rape, two counts of gross indecency, and two counts of indecent assault. The woman described the “surreal” relief of the verdict, stating it ended the internal battles she had fought since childhood. She suffered from night terrors, anxiety, and PTSD-like symptoms, which had even impacted her parenting of her own children in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
The judge noted that Howell’s abuse had a profound and lasting emotional impact, causing the victim to self-harm and feel repulsed by normal relationships as she grew older. For his actions in Newbold, Chesterfield, the court determined that the defendant’s immediate imprisonment was necessary to address the decades of harm inflicted. The prosecution reported that the survivor’s bravery was the primary factor in securing justice and ensuring Howell could no longer hide his “despicable” past.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Matthew Howell was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Six years and nine months in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- SHPO: A Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which remains active until further order.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Derby Crown Court following a trial.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Howell is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Derbyshire Constabulary and the prison estate. Due to the “despicable” nature of the historical rape and grooming in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Howell must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in Mountcastle Walk, Newbold, Chesterfield, for the rest of his life. Authorities state that his life-long registration and the SHPO are essential safeguards to prevent further offending and to monitor his proximity to children. Any breach of his registration conditions or the terms of his licence upon release will result in immediate arrest and a return to Derby Crown Court.
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