She showed ‘remarkable courage’
Convicted paedophile Christopher Brooks, 74, has been jailed(Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
A man who committed sex offences against a child has been jailed for eight years. His courageous victim believed for decades that he would go unpunished for his crimes.
74-year-old paedophile Christopher Brooks, of Bishopsworth, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday, September 18.
On June 17, Brooks was found guilty of the non-recent sex offences by jury and was convicted of two counts of indecent assault against a child, two counts of inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency, three counts of making an indecent image of a child, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.
Brooks will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.
Judge Edwards Burgess QC told the court that he was bound by the sentencing guidelines in place at the time which the offences occurred and that had the offences happened recently, Brooks would have received an even longer prison sentence.
Judge Burgess added that the victim had shown “remarkable courage”.
‘It is never too late to report a crime’
Paedophile Christopher Brooks, 74, has been jailed(Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Detective Constable Rhiannon Jugmohun, from Avon and Somerset Police, was the investigating officer in the case, she said: “For the victim, this is something she has lived with for many decades.
“A third-party report was made to police which led to us approaching the victim to confirm whether the report was correct.
“The victim confirmed the offences but said if it wasn’t for officers knocking on her door, she would have probably taken this to her grave.
“The victim showed great bravery throughout the investigation. She has shouldered the weight of these offences for most of her life and life has been difficult for her at times.
“With great support from both family and friends, the victim was able to eloquently detail, not only the offences committed against her, but the impact they have had on her life.
“We are at a place where regardless of age, victims will be heard, and we as the police will listen. Nobody is ever too young, and it is never too late to report a crime.”
A complex case
Avon and Somerset Police said that the investigation was complex for a number of reasons and that the passage of time meant that witnesses were difficult to trace and many had struggled to recollect information from the time of the offending.
The force said: “Investigating officers travelled across the country to gather evidence from people connected to the investigation, paper records were sought, and digital forensics officers reviewed a number of electronic devices in relation to the indecent image charges.”