Richard Day, aged 30, of Jubilee Terrace, Morley, has been sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court after being convicted of the rape of a child under the age of 13 in Kirklees.
The court heard that the offences were committed over a prolonged period spanning from 2014 to 2017. The victim came forward to report the historical abuse to West Yorkshire Police in March 2021, prompting dedicated safeguarding detectives from Kirklees Police to launch a comprehensive criminal investigation.
Following extensive enquiries, Day was formally summonsed to court in October 2023. He entered not guilty pleas to the indictment, forcing the survivor to undergo the ordeal of giving evidence during a Crown Court trial. In June, the jury rejected Day’s defence and returned a unanimous verdict finding him guilty of rape of a child under 13.
Under UK legislation, all victims of sexual offences are protected by lifelong statutory anonymity.
Sentencing Day to an immediate custodial term of 12 years, the judge also imposed a restraining order and placed him on the Sex Offenders Register. Under statutory sentencing provisions governing determinate sentences of seven years or more for serious sexual offences, Day will be required to serve at least two-thirds of his sentence in prison custody before becoming eligible for parole consideration.
Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Olivia Connor praised the victim’s resilience, acknowledging the difficulty of coming forward and highlighting that the conviction demonstrates that safeguarding units will pursue justice regardless of how much time has passed since the offending occurred.
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
For the latest updates and offender details, follow us on the Offender Register Facebook Page. If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on how to report a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.