Characterised as a “predatory deviant” Spennymoor Paedophile David Spence committed indecent assaults on three youngsters in the Spennymoor region between the 1980s and 1990s.
His abhorrent deeds resulted in his victims, now adults, struggling with mental health concerns, while Spence evaded the repercussions of his offences for decades.
Following the police’s renewed awareness of the 67-year-old’s offences, David Spence persistently refuted the accusations until ultimately entering a guilty plea on the day his trial was scheduled to commence.
In a victim impact statement, one victim told the court that they have suffered with “low self-esteem” and “night-terrors” throughout their adult life as a result of what Spence did to them.
They regularly have “full blown panic attacks” and “struggle with paranoia”, they said in the statement.
David Spence, was jailed for 10 and a half years with a 12-month extended licence and he was also made subject of a restraining order, which will run until further order.
David Spence was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order, which will remain in place until further order and he was put on the sex offenders’ register.
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.