Child abuser who plumbed depths of depravity may never be freed

Darren Mackrell, 45, subjected two boys aged eight and 10 and a nine-year-old girl to “an appalling and disgusting” six-hour ordeal at his flat in Southampton, Hampshire. He was told by the judge that he deserved no mercy and he would spend at least 10 years in jail before he could even apply for parole. He was warned he may never be released if he poses a danger to children.

The drug addict forced the children to strip naked, smoke cannabis and take amphetamine, temazepam and viagra. He raped all three and forced them to engage in sexual activity with him and each other.

He was heard to tell the girl as he told her to strip and take a bath: “You’re in detention, baby”.

All the while he played hardcore pornographic films on the TV and threatened to hurt the youngsters when they tried to leave – even showing one boy a large hunting knife.

The abuse only ended when a mother managed to track her son down to Mackrell’s flat and when she did not get a reply she called the police.

An officer saw the pornographic video playing on the TV through the letterbox and he tried to break in as the mother “freaked out”. Eventually one of the boys opened the door and the three children fled and Mackrell was arrested.

Two ran straight home and one boy stayed outside the flat with his mother.

Alastair Malcolm QC, prosecuting told the court: “He was clearly terrified of the defendant and said ‘Get him away from me. He will kill me because you called the police’.”

All three were anxious, fidgety, rocking and thirsty when they were examined at hospital and tests showed they had all been drugged with a variety of substances.

The children have been left traumatised by what Mackrell did to them, with the girl unable to tell anyone what happened and another boy self-harming and writing suicide notes, the court heard.

Mackrell admitted last month 18 charges of raping the three youngsters, sexually assaulting them, causing them to engage in sexual activity, forcing them to watch a sexual act and administering drugs on April 21 this year on the eve of his trial.

He had previous convictions for violence and robbery and drug offences but none for sex offences and claimed he could not remember what he had done to the children because of the drink and drugs. Mackrell was also put on the sex offenders register for life.