Child sex predator’s sentence doubled

Lee Pearson (28) was previously jailed for four years in 2005 after killing a 16-year-old scooter rider while driving a stolen car.

He was caged again, for six years, at Sheffield Crown Court in June after he was found guilty of rape, serious sexual assault and six counts of sexual activity with a child.

His punishment was today upped to 12 years after lawyers for the Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC, attacked his punishment as far too soft.

Lord Justice Fulford said the maximum sentence Pearson could have faced for the brutal rape was life behind bars.

His crimes involved the “appalling exploitation” of two vulnerable 15-year-old girls.

Six years was “significantly too low”, said the judge, who added: “He dominated these two young victims and used threats and coercion to maintain their compliance.”

Pearson “groomed” the two girls and resorted to threats and actual physical violence if they resisted.

After savagely raping one of his victims, he even flew into a rage when she refused to do his washing up, said the judge, who was sitting with Mr Justice Wilkie and Mrs Justice Elisabeth Laing.

“This is a very significant increase in this man’s sentence, but it reflects the fact that there were two young victims, and it is a necessary step given the violence, humiliation and degradation which accompanied these offences,” he added.

Pearson, of Katherine Road, used a baseball bat and an aerosol spray can in sex acts.

The court heard was a “strong underlying element of coercion” to his campaign of abuse.

There was simply “no mitigation” for Pearson's crimes, said the judge, and the original six-year term was “unduly lenient to a significant degree”, failing to reflect that background of coercion, domination and brutality.

The Attorney General said after the case: “These were appalling crimes carried out over an 11-month period against two children.

“Whilst Lee Pearson was engaged in unlawful sexual activity with one child, he sexually assaulted another.

“Having befriended his teenage victims, Pearson went on to subject them to a sustained campaign of intimidation and violence.

“He threatened them, using physical force if they did not do as he said, and used controlling behaviour to isolate them from their friends.

“I am pleased that the Court of Appeal has today increased the sentence from six years’ imprisonment to 12 years and I hope this offers some measure of reassurance to the public and a degree of comfort to the victims.”