August 2013
Paedophile jailed for abusing boys
A man has been jailed for four years for abusing two boys during the 1980s.
Paedophile Shane Thackeray (50) groomed and molested a 12-year-old boy, who was unable to cope in adult life because of what happened to him.
The victim later turned to drink, which led to his alcohol-related death last week, a court heard.
Thackeray also targeted an 11-year-old boy for similar mistreatment, after befriending his single mother.
The child quickly turned to drink and drugs because of the abuse and ended up with a criminal record, Leicester Crown Court was told.
Thackeray admitted six counts of indecently assaulting the 12-year-old, in 1988 and 1989.
He also pleaded guilty to twice indecently assaulting the 11-year-old, between January and August 1990.
The two victims, who did not know each other, were unable to tell anyone about the abuse, until building up the courage to inform the police recently. James Varley, prosecuting, said the defendant appeared to have a girlfriend at the time of the offences, so both victims’ families saw no immediate risk.
Thackeray was living in the Loughborough area when employed by the first victim’s father.
He befriended the 12-year-old, taking him on trips in a van.
Mr Varley said the defendant groomed the boy before carrying out sex acts.
He said: “The victim later became a very troubled man and turned to alcohol and that’s the reason he died recently.
“He’d turned to alcohol, not least because of the abuse he suffered.”
Thackeray befriended the second victim, from the Melton area.
When the 11-year-old played truant, Thackeray took him for a walk in fields and performed a sex act on him. On another occasion he made him lie face down on a mattress in a disused flat and simulated a serious sex act with him.
In a personal impact statement read out in court, the victim, now a father of two, said: “I was young, isolated and wanted a role model and father figure. Since then (the abuse) I turned to drinking, drugs and bad company, which led me into a life of crime.”
Thackeray moved to Selwyn Close, Baseford, Nottinghamshire, and committed serious sex acts on other young boys, later receiving separate jail sentences of four years and three-and-a-half years.
Balraj Bhatia, mitigating, said Thackeray was told of his victim’s death when he arrived at court that morning, and went across the road to a church to pray and light a candle.
Thackeray sought professional help from the Lucy Faithful Foundation following his release on licence in 2008 and “addressed his demons”, continuing with voluntary therapy. Mr Bhatia said: “He was already a repentant man before these disclosures.”
The defendant was also a former victim of child abuse while in the care system.
Judge Michael Pert QC said: “Your bad record is an aggravating feature.” He said Thackeray’s conduct had ruined the lives of his victims.
