How Could You? Hall of Shame-UK-Aaron Abbott

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Leeds, UK, a teenager Aaron Abbott “trapped a six-year-old girl in a room brutally raped her at a foster home.

Aaron Abbott, now aged 23, was 16 at the time he carried out the brutal attack on the youngster at the house in south Leeds.

Abbott was jailed for nine years at Leeds Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of rape.

The trial heard Abbott blocked the door of the room with a wardrobe and pushed socks into the youngster’s mouth when she tried to scream for help.

After the attack Abbott told the young victim that he would do the same thing to her again if she ever told anyone.

The court heard the incident was not reported until more than a year after the attack when the girl told one of her friends about what had happened.

She then told a teacher about her ordeal.

The offence happened at a time when Abbott, now of Sawley Close, Eastmoor, Wakefield, and the girl were in the care of foster parents.

A judge described how the girl was particularly vulnerable at the time of the sex attack and was not receiving adequate care.

Judge Sally Cahill, QC, said: “I am perfectly satisfied from the evidence I have heard…that within that foster home she was isolated and was not being given the care that one would hope by the adults.

The judge told Abbott: “She was isolated and had no one to turn to when she was assaulted by you.”

The court heard the victim had self harmed since the incident and is still struggling to come to terms with what happened to her.

Matthew Harding, mitigating, said Abbott was only a child himself when he committed the offence. He described that attack as an isolated incident which had never been repeated.

Detective Inspector Lawrence Bone, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Abbott put the victim through an appallingly traumatic ordeal which deeply affected her for many years before she felt able to tell anyone about what he had done. He has now been convicted and received a significant prison sentence.

“This case once again highlights that the passage of time should be no deterrent to victims coming forward and reporting offences. We have specially trained safeguarding officers who can support them through the investigation and the court process to see the offender brought to justice.””

Rapist jailed for Leeds foster home attack on girl[Yorkshire Evening Post 1/30/15 by Tony Gardner]

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