In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Simon Harrison, then 54, was sentenced for a “despicable” and sustained campaign of child sexual abuse. On Friday, 13 February 2019, Harrison, of Cavendish Avenue, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, appeared at Leeds Crown Court, where he was handed a 29-year extended sentence. The judge described him as an “entrenched paedophile” who viewed children as sexual beings.
The investigation established that between 2002 and 2015, Harrison targeted two girls in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, subjecting them to a “campaign of rape” and humiliating sexual offences. He filmed himself raping an 11-year-old girl and later forced her to watch the harrowing footage. He also used his camper van as a location for abuse and hid a secret camera to film the victims in the bath. To ensure their silence, he used threats and intimidation, though the victims eventually found the courage to report the 13-year ordeal to the police.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Harrison showed an “utter lack of control” and attempted to blame his victims during his trial. Leeds Crown Court heard that the jury was required to watch the “harrowing” footage the defendant had recorded. Judge Robin Mairs noted that Harrison tried to portray himself as a benevolent man while simultaneously treating children as “projects” for his sexual desires. The judge praised the “supreme courage” of the survivors in giving evidence against their abuser.
The judge noted that Harrison represented a “serious danger to children” and lacked any recognition of the harm he had caused. For his actions in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, he was found guilty or pleaded guilty to a total of 19 offences, including rape, sexual assault, voyeurism, and making indecent images. The prosecution reported that the 29-year sentence reflected the catastrophic impact of his decades of “despicable” behaviour.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Simon Harrison was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: 24 years in prison.
- Extended Licence: Five years of mandatory supervision following his release.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for 19 counts of serious sexual offending.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Harrison is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by West Yorkshire Police and the prison estate. Due to the “entrenched” and prolific nature of the abuse in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Harrison must comply with notification requirements regarding any future residence in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, for the rest of his life. Authorities state that his history of recording abuse and using a camper van to facilitate crimes necessitates permanent and intense scrutiny of his digital activity and travel. Any breach of his registration conditions or the terms of his extended licence will result in immediate arrest and a return to Leeds Crown Court.
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