Ian Neasham, the Londonderry Paedophile, a “predatory sex offender” convicted of raping and abusing young girls, has been sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Ian Neasham, 65, from Londonderry, North Yorkshire, perpetrated a “deplorable series of abuses” against three victims over an 11-year span.
He was found guilty of 24 offences, including nine counts of rape, at Teesside Crown Court.
On Monday, Ian Neasham was informed that he must complete a minimum of two-thirds of his sentence prior to being eligible for parole.
Ian Neasham’s transgressions, originating in the 1990s, were revealed in November 2020 when one of his victims disclosed the incidents to a trusted individual, leading to his apprehension.
North Yorkshire Police reported that this led to the emergence of two additional victims.
Ian Neasham’s youngest victim was 10 years old when the abuse commenced.
Victim interviews, disclosures to counsellors, and inspections of Ian Neasham’s residence and digital devices facilitated the imposition of 25 charges against him by the authorities.
Ian Neasham refuted all allegations and was acquitted on one charge of indecent assault; however found guilty of nine charges of rape, seven charges of indecent assault, and two charges of sexual intercourse with a minor.
He was convicted on two charges of producing indecent images of a child, three counts of possessing indecent photographs of a child, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.
During sentencing, his victims articulated how Ian Neasham’s conduct had impacted them in their impact statements.
One said Ian Neasham “took advantage” of the trust she had for him and had meant her childhood was filled with “abuse and anger”.
The victim recalled how she needed to tell someone what was happening, but feared he would follow through with his threats to kill her if she did.
“I lost my innocence because of what he did to me,” she said.
Another victim said her behaviour at home and school was affected by the ordeal.
“I felt angry, frustrated, and upset, like no one cared and no one could see why or what was happening to me,” she said.
“I felt alone through it all, and I couldn’t talk to anyone about it because of the threats he had made.
“He took my innocence and ruined my childhood. I felt petrified whenever I was around him.”
A third victim described feeling “dirty and physically sick at times”, during the abuse.
“I was terrified of him and what he would say about me or do to me because he was a violent man,” she said.
“I was scared he would hurt me or someone else.”
Speaking after the sentencing, Det Con Gillian Gowling said: “Ian Neasham is a predatory sex offender who was responsible for an appalling catalogue of abuse against vulnerable victims who he believed he could control, intimidate, and silence from speaking out about his despicable crimes.”
She praised the victims’ bravery and determination and said they had shown “incredible courage and strength”.
“They have suffered in silence for many years, but I hope they can finally start to move forward and rebuild their lives knowing that Ian Neasham is now rightfully behind bars where he belongs.”
Ian Neasham’s prison sentence will be followed by a four-year extended licence, and he has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
An indefinite restraining order will categorically forbid any further communication with the victim.
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