Three men jailed for 44 years for sex offences against children in Kirklees, West Yorkshire

Phillip Ryan, 56, from Scarborough; Peter Craven, 48, from Batley; and Paul Ineson, 52, from Dewsbury, appeared at Leeds Crown Court to be sentenced for multiple indecent assaults and in Ineson's case, two counts of rape against young children.

The offences took place in the 1990’s in the Kirklees area and involved two young female victims.

They were reported to Kirklees Police in 2018 and were subject to a complex investigation by specialist safeguarding detectives at the Kirklees Child Safeguarding Unit.

Ineson was sentenced to 24 years in prison after being found guilty by a unanimous jury to 23 counts of indecent assault and two counts of rape.

Ryan was sentenced to 11 years after pleading guilty to several counts of indecent assault.

Craven was sentenced to nine years after being found guilty by a unanimous jury of seven counts of indecent assault.

“This has been a dreadful case and I want to praise the bravery of both women in supporting the prosecution and helping the police and CPS prosecute these men and bring them to justice.

“Both Ineson and Craven chose to put the victims through the ordeal of a trial, and we are pleased a jury saw through their stories and delivered unanimous guilty verdicts.

“All reports of sexual offending, both recent and non-recent, are thoroughly investigated by specialist officers and we work to put the victim’s needs at the heart of everything we do.”