August 2014
Jury convicts man of indecent assaults on girl
A MAN has been found guilty of nine counts of indecently assaulting a girl dating back to 2001.
Benjamin McCrimmon, 29, of Blacon Avenue, Blacon, was convicted by the jury of five men and seven women, of nine counts of indecent assault against a girl.
The jury took just one hour and 20 minutes to unanimously find McCrimmon guilty of indecently touching the girl and making her perform sex acts on him.
Sentencing was adjourned by Judge Roger Dutton for full pre-sentence reports as McCrimmon was under 18 at the time.
Matthew Corbett-Jones, prosecuting at Chester Crown Court, read out an impact statement from the victim, in which said she had been suffering from recurring nightmares and was “anxious” as a result of the abuse.
She said she would “scream herself to sleep” as a child when the abuse was going on.
The victim said his actions caused “self esteem issues” which meant she didn’t have many friends – which she directly attributed to the abuse suffered as a child.
Judge Dutton granted McCrimmon conditional bail while pre-sentence reports are prepared as his father is unwell.
But the judge warned him he was facing a prison sentence.
He said: “You have been convicted on compelling evidence of serious sexual abuse.
“It is a grave matter and in due course you may go to prison.
“However, I need to know more about you before I can sentence due to your age at the time of these offences. You must understand this.
“The likelihood is that you will go to custody.”
Earlier in the trial the jury heard from the victim in the case who said she became “used to it happening”.
In the time leading up to telling the police, the victim wrote notes in her diary – which said she had “horrible secrets” she feared telling her family about.
McCrimmon denied the allegations, describing them as “rubbish” and “wrong”.
He also described being badly beaten up by a man after he was confronted with the allegations.
McCrimmon will be sentenced in the week beginning September 22.
