‘Ashamed’ paedophile
jailed for
nine years

Alexander King was caught after one of his young victims told her mother last June he had been “doing things” to her he should not have been.

Stephanie Hancock, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court that woman immediately reported the matter to police and King was arrested,

He denied the allegations and was bailed, and it was during that period other girls came forward about things he had done to them in the past.

Miss Hancock said the offences included touching an eight-year-old girl indecently after telling her she was “fit” and “sexy”, abusing another girl in his car when she thought she was going to walk his dogs with him, and touching a girl sexually after pulling her on to his knee.

He also pushed another youngster on to a bed and simulated sex with her during a visit to his home.

She told the court King had not answered his police bail after his release last June and had gone missing. It turned out he had attempted to kill himself.

When subsequently interviewed he did then make some admissions but said his memory was sketchy because he was drunk on some of the occasions.

King, 61, of Royds Avenue, Huddersfield, admitted nine charges of sexual assault and eight other sexual offences.

Sentencing him, Judge Rodney Jameson QC said they were serious offences and he had not been candid when first seen by police.

Neil Murphy, representing King, said he was now deeply ashamed at what he had done and his attempts at self-harm had been serious when he was struggling to come to terms with his behaviour.

He could not rationalise in his own mind his motivation other than that he had been abused himself as a child.

“He concedes his behaviour was appalling, a betrayal of the adults who allowed him to care for those children and a betrayal of the children who trusted him.”