In 2021, the Offender Register confirmed that the crown court judge sentenced a depraved child rapist, Mark Coward, from West Yorkshire, to 28 years in prison after he abused two young girls and a very young boy before manipulating a 15-year-old girl. The perpetrator was observed reading a book.
Paedophile Mark Coward was required to be subdued during the video link from the prison broadcast to Leeds Crown Court, as he removed his shoes and made comments.
The 39-year-old had been on trial for the initiation of a campaign of rape and abuse against a girl under the age of 10 when he was 15 or 16 years old.
He was convicted of five counts of rape and one charge of indecent assault. Subsequently, he was convicted of another rape in connection with a second juvenile girl approximately three years later.
Coward’s final conviction in that trial was for the rape of a boy under the age of 10 at the age of 34.
It was also disclosed that Coward admitted to five counts of sexual activity with a minor after grooming a vulnerable 15-year-old girl and informing her of his intention to conceive her.
The court was informed that Coward instructed his victim to claim she was 16 years old. His offence was discovered when the teenager’s mother reported her missing.
During the police interviews, the predator acknowledged that he was aware of the girl’s age of 15 and made derogatory remarks, such as “girls are girls, boys are boys, age is irrelevant — she desired it.”
Subsequently, it was disclosed that Coward requested that his victim relocate to his residence.
Coward issued a series of threats to his victim’s new boyfriend, including the phrase “do you know who you are f***ing with?” after a period of time had elapsed and she had established a relationship with an individual who was closer to her age.
He was apprehended by the police in April 2020 and acknowledged that he should have waited until the girl reached the age of 16.
As he was sentenced to 28 years in prison, Coward was observed wearing a mask and reading a book titled “Can I forgive myself?” while appearing via video link.
He had also taken measures to prevent his offence from being brought to the attention of the victims’ parents by indicating that their mother or father would suffer adverse consequences.
Judge Neil Clark sentenced Coward, of Morning Street, Keighley, to 28 years in prison and imposed a two-year extended licence period.
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