Yorkshire pensioner jailed after sexually abusing four girls over decades
A Yorkshire man has been jailed for more than 18 years after being found guilty of sexually abusing four girls over a period spanning nearly four decades.
Between 1981 and 2020 Herning Thompson, now 82, sexually abused four girls when they were aged between five and 12.
In January 2024 Thompson was arrested after the abuse was reported to North Yorkshire Police.
An investigation was launched by the Harrogate & Craven Safeguarding Investigation Team and they then charged Thompson.
The 82-year-old from Skipton stood trial at Leeds Crown Court.
The jury found Thompson guilty of six counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16; four counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching; four counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration with a part of the body or an object; and two counts of attempted rape of a girl under 13.
He was found not guilty of three counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, and one count of assaulting a boy under 13 by touching.
On Wednesday (Mar 11) Thompson appeared at Leeds Crown Court for sentencing where he was ordered by a judge to serve an 18-year jail term, with an extended licence period of 12 months on release.
He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for life.
In her victim impact statement, one of the victims described how the sexual abuse has had a profound and lifelong impact on her, causing significant emotional distress and trauma.
She explained that what happened to her has deeply undermined her ability to trust others and feel safe around people.
She said: “Although many years have passed, the trauma of what happened has never left me.
“I continue to experience distressing memories and emotional pain linked to what happened.”
She went on to explain that the impact of the abuse did not end when the incidents stopped, but has continued for decades, affecting her ability to live without fear and anxiety, and still affecting her to this day.
Detective Constable Nicky Wareham of North Yorkshire Police’s Safeguarding Investigation Team, who led on the investigation, said: “This case has been harrowing for everyone involved, and I want to pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery of the victims.
“Despite the trauma Thompson inflicted, and his attempts to deny his actions and force them through the ordeal of a trial, they stood firm and found the courage to speak out.
“Their strength has ensured that a dangerous and predatory individual has finally been held to account and is now exactly where he belongs. I hope that, in seeing justice be served, the victims are able to move forwards with their lives and begin a process of healing.
“We will always treat reports of child sexual abuse with the utmost seriousness, no matter when they happened, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting vulnerable children and relentlessly pursuing those who cause them harm.”