December 2011

Man, 56, who abused girls gets eight years

A paedophile who groomed and indecently assaulted young girls in Craven has been jailed for eight years.

David Hume, 56, was told by a judge he had “no moral compass whatsoever”.

Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday that Hume abused four girls over a period of years while he was living in Skipton.

The court heard Hume, a single man, gained the trust of the children’s parents and looked after the youngsters.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said victim impact statements showed the harrowing damage caused by such behaviour.

He said it was a case of a man with dark and paedophilic tendencies, who groomed families and their children, then “introduced those children to the insidious depravity that you enjoyed so much.”

Hume, now of Station Cottages, Rillington, near York, pleaded guilty to a total of 12 charges of indecent assault and indecency with a child.

The court heard the offences took place when the victims were aged between four and 11.

Prosecutor Oliver Thorne told the court one victim said she was abused every other day over a number of years.

Two of the girls complained about the abuse and the defendant was arrested, but denied any involvement in the abuse. But police inquiries uncovered two more victims.

Mr Thorne said one of the victims had suffered marital relationship difficulties following the abuse, and another had suffered anorexia, self-harm and low self-esteem.

Timothy Jacobs, representing Hume, said there had been no other offending, before or since, and he had pleaded guilty.