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John Durkin from Southport is sentenced over
historic sex offences
MERSEYSIDE Police have said that they
are pleased with the 16 year sentence of John Durkin, from Southport,
Merseyside, for historic sexual offences on Friday, 22 April 2016. 53 year old
Durkin, of Mount Street in Southport, was convicted of 18 counts of Indecent
Assault against a female under the age of 16. As well as being sentenced to 16
years in prison, Durkin was also issued with an indefinite Sexual Offences
Protection Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. All the
offences are historic and date back to the 1980's to 1990's.
Detective Inspector Jimmy Belmar from Sefton Vulnerable Persons Unit said:-
"Durkin's victims have shown immense bravery in coming forward. Time should
never be a barrier to obtaining justice and I hope his sentence gives them some
sense of closure and vindicates their decision to come forward. If anybody else
is out there suffering in silence I want you to know that there is help and
support available to you, both from Merseyside Police, where we have specially
trained Officers who will listen to you and treat you with sensitivity and
compassion, and from reliable and trusted support groups who will support you
from your initial report and for as long as you need. In the last 6 years we
have experienced increased levels of reporting, including historic cases, and
this is a real indication of confidence in the way the Police and other agencies
on Merseyside respond to complaints of rape and serious sexual assault. I would
like to take this opportunity to reassure anyone who has suffered a sexual
offence that if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us, we
will treat you with sensitivity and compassion and make sure that reports are
properly and thoroughly investigated."
Anyone wishing to report a sexual offence can call Officers in the Force's
specialist Unity Team on:- 0151 777 1382. Information can also be passed to
Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111. |
