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Joshua Springer was today (Friday, 20 February) handed a 21-year sentence, having previously pleaded guilty to nine charges of rape.

Springer, who is now 36 years old, was jailed following a hearing at Lincoln Crown Court.

He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the rest of his life.

His offences related to three victims who were suffering from dementia, at a residential care home for elderly people in the Stamford area; and a fourth victim in the North Yorkshire area.

We have not named the care home, or the location in North Yorkshire, to protect the anonymity of Springer’s victims.

Springer was also sentenced for making indecent images of children, for which he had also previously pleaded guilty.

Detective Chief Inspector Jennifer Lovatt, of East Midlands Special Operations Unit, is again appealing for anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Springer – who is also known as Joshua Kearney and Joshua Kearney Springer – to contact us.

"While Springer has today been sentenced for his horrific crimes, that does not mean that our investigations have stopped,” said DCI Lovatt.

"Our team has worked tirelessly for some time in bringing Springer to justice, and there may be other potential victims who perhaps have not yet come forward.

"I’d encourage them to contact us - you can call 101 (ask for Lincolnshire Police) and quote Incident 272 of 28 November. If you want to remain anonymous, then you can call Crimsteoppers on 0800 555 111.

"Today’s result shows that offenders will be brought to justice, so if you think you have been affected, please get in touch.”

Springer, formerly of Cornstall Buildings in Stamford, pleaded guilty to nine charges of rape when appearing at Lincoln Crown Court on 2 December 2025.

2025-12-03

A man accused of raping four women has pleaded guilty to his crimes.

Joshua Springer of Cornstall Buildings in Stamford appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Tuesday, 2 December where he pleaded guilty to nine charges of rape.

Six charges are evenly split between three women while the remaining three charges are connected to a fourth woman.

Three of his victims were based at a Lincolnshire care home, while a fourth victim was located at an address in the North Yorkshire area.

The 35-year-old also pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children – including those in the most extreme category.

Springer had been arrested and subsequently charged in relation to several offences on 26 July.

It came a month after Lincolnshire Police were called to investigate reports vulnerable people had been sexually assaulted at an elderly residential care home in the Stamford area.

We have not named this care home, or the location in North Yorkshire, to protect the anonymity of Springer’s victims.

Springer appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on 28 July shortly after his arrest and was remanded into custody before he appeared yesterday to enter his plea.

He will now appear at Lincoln Crown Court to be sentenced on Friday, 6 February.

Detective Chief Inspector Jennifer Lovatt thanked the family of the victims in this case for their courage and patience.

She said:

“Springer’s actions show a clear lack of human decency and respect for the victims he targeted.

“He abused a position of trust and used the access he had to attack some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“It is appalling, and my heart goes out to the victims and their families.

“The impact of Springer’s actions cannot be overestimated and will have long-lasting consequences. It was imperative that we got him behind bars and out of our community.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the women at the centre of this case and their families.

“Their courage and dignity cannot be put into words, and I hope that by bringing Springers to justice, they feel some form of comfort even if the road ahead is a long one.

“Cases like this have an enormous impact on family, friends, work colleagues and so on.

“Our investigations continue into Joshua Springer who has also used the surname Kearney and Kearney Springer if you believe you may have been a victim of him and/or have any information then we would encourage anyone to contact us to do so either by calling 101 (ask for Lincolnshire Police) quoting inc 272 of 28 November, anonymously through crime stoppers.

“If you’ve been the victim of rape or sexual assault or any other sexual offence not connected to Springer, then please report it to us or your local police service as soon as possible. I want to assure victims, we will listen – there are various ways you can get in touch, but please do not be afraid to. We are here to support you.

“Even if you’re not 100 per cent sure, we want to hear from you so that we can make sure you’re safe.

“If you’re not ready to talk to the police just yet, that’s OK.”

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A man has been jailed for seven years and two months after he pleaded guilty to non-recent sex offences against a teenage girl.

Tom Heckley, 25, of Muirfield Way in Woodhall Spa was convicted of 15 offences when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court earlier today (22 January).

These include seven counts of sexual activity with a child involving penetration, one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child and one count of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.

Heckley committed the crimes in 2021 in the Lincolnshire area when he was 20 years old. The offences came to light following a report to the police in October 2023.

The 25-year-old was also convicted of six counts of possessing indecent images of children. The images and chat logs were discovered on Heckley’s phone after they were seized and examined and were of other teenage girls under 16 at the time.

Detective Constable Kye Sykes, who led the investigation, said:

“We’d like to pay tribute to the bravery of the victim in this case. Having the courage to report a traumatic event and placing her trust in us meant that we were able to identify other victims and safeguard them to the best of our ability.

“Despite the case being reported three years after it took place, we hope that this case reiterates that it is never too late to report if you are a survivor of sexual abuse. We will do everything we can to thoroughly investigate historic offences and hold offenders accountable for their actions.

“We’d also like to give thanks to the Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) Service at Spring Lodge for their support that they provide to survivors of sexual violence.”

Heckley has also been given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a restraining order. Heckley has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

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A man whose ‘unrelenting derogatory’ behaviour and sexual abuse against a woman left her feeling ‘worthless’ has been sentenced to seven years behind bars and handed a lifetime restraining order following his appearance at Hull Crown Court last week (Wednesday, 10 December 2025).

Clive Lennon, 44-years-old of Brereton Avenue in Cleethorpes was found guilty of sexual assault by penetration, and coercive and controlling behaviour following a five-day trial at Hull Crown Court in October 2025.

We first received a report in April 2025 when officers received a call from a woman disclosing she had been verbally abused, assaulted, controlled and coerced by a man known to her, naming Clive Lennon as the one responsible.

The Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding Investigation Team (DASIT) launched an investigation, and Lennon was arrested on suspicion of coercive and controlling behaviour and subsequently bailed pending further investigation a few days later.

Whilst engaging with the victim during initial enquiries, the woman further disclosed that Lennon had sexually assaulted her on another occasion. Officers were immediately deployed to Lennon’s address who was swiftly further arrested on suspicion of sexual assault by penetration and transported to custody.

Whilst in custody and during interview, Lennon denied all offences that had been put to him and claimed everything the woman said was a lie.

He was subsequently remanded into custody until his next hearing and DASIT continued stacking up the evidence against him including gathering witness and victim impact statements.

Leading the investigation was Police Constable Imran Akbar from our Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, who said:

“This woman has been subjected to unrelenting derogatory and degrading abuse, sexually assaulted and made to feel worthless and hopeless.

“Lennon repeatedly and continuously engaged in unspeakable behaviour towards the woman. He was controlling and coercive, degrading, assaulted her on numerous occasions, threatened her and her pets; ultimately significantly impacting her day-to-day life.

“It has been an extremely lengthy and difficult process for the woman, especially after Lennon refused to admit what he had done and forced her to relive the ordeal all over again in an intense five-day trial.

“I commend the woman’s bravery in coming forward and reporting Lennon’s disgraceful behaviour and actions towards her. It takes a great deal of courage to do this, and we would always urge anyone who has been subjected to crimes of this nature, or believes these crimes are taking place, to please come forward and tell someone.

“It is because of this woman’s bravery in taking that first step and standing up to Lennon, that he is now behind bars, and whilst this will not take away the pain she has been put through and will continue to have to live with, we hope this provides her with some reassurance.

“We take any report of domestic or sexual abuse and violence very seriously, and we will do whatever we can to hold people like Lennon accountable for their actions and the pain they cause to others.

“Violence against women and girls is wholly unacceptable, and I encourage anyone who is a victim of, knows someone who is, or has witnessed domestic abuse and violence in any form, to please contact us as soon as possible via our non-emergency number 101.

“If you are in immediate danger, or there is any risk to life, always call 999.

“If you are in danger and cannot talk on the phone, call 999 and listen to the questions from the operator. If you can, cough or tap on the handset to reply. You can also press 55 on your handset to make yourself heard and this will transfer your call directly to the police.”

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A rapist already jailed for nine years will face another seven years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to an additional sexual offence.

Chase Brocklesby, formerly of the Boston area, was imprisoned earlier this year when he was sentenced for rape at Lincoln Crown Court on 31 March.

He had denied that offence but was ultimately found guilty of the crime. He was also sentenced for common assault, criminal damage and dangerous driving at the same time.

However, a subsequent charge of rape relating to a different victim was put to the 28-year-old behind bars and on Friday, 5 December, he was given an additional sentence after pleasding guilty in October.

It relates to an incident in Boston last year.

He was handed a further seven-year sentence which will run consecutively.

Brocklesby was also given a restraining order and a sexual harm prevention order – which forces him to declare a new relationship.

Detective Katherine Brennan has paid tribute to the victims in both cases, she said:

“Brocklesby carried out horrendous crimes and was rightly jailed for his actions, as someone as dangerous as him should not be on our streets.

“In this circumstance, this latest victim felt safe to come forward as they knew that the suspect was remanded in prison. If it hadn’t been for the bravery of the victim in the first case, this victim may have never taken that  step.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the strength of these victims, as reporting a crime can be difficult – but thanks to their bravery, Brocklesby has now been handed significant jail time.

“Thanks to their actions, he will remain behind bars for a considerably long time. I am grateful for the work of the ‘Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders’ team who have taken proactive steps to ensure this dangerous individual is not given the opportunity to offend again when his sentence ends.”

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A man who repeatedly sexually abused a child between the years of 2005 and 2009 has now been sentenced to 18 years following a trial at Lincoln Crown Court.

Ronald Leslie Short (pictured below), aged 82, of St Leonards Avenue, Woodhall Spa, appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday 8 August 2025, where he was found guilty by jury of eight counts of sexual abuse against a child. The offences include attempt rape, sexual assault of a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual assault by penetration.

Short appeared again at Lincoln Crown Court today (Friday 5 December) where he received his sentence. 

The investigating officer, Detective Constable Kyle Barlow, based within the Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit, wanted to praise the strength, patience and bravery of the victim, throughout this long and complex investigation.

He said: 

“Although no outcome can take away the harm caused, we hope the knowledge that Ronald Short has been jailed will at least provide some comfort and aid the victim’s process of recovery.

“I would like to send a clear message to any perpetrators of sexual abuse: we will not tolerate this abhorrent behaviour and will bring you to justice.

“This sentence today shows the seriousness of this offending, and we will do everything we can to put perpetrators behind bars.” 

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A 35-year-old man convicted of rape, harassment and non-fatal strangulation has been jailed for 12 years.

James Chater, formerly of the Sleaford area, was sentenced for the charges when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday, 7 November.

Chater pleaded guilty to two of the charges at an earlier trial – though he denied rape before he was eventually found guilty.

The crimes took place in the Sleaford area.

Chater was given a 12-year sentence, added to the sex offender’s register and given a sexual harm prevention order when he appeared in court. He has been jailed immediately.

Trainee Detective Constable Kieron Stewart, who led the investigation, paid tribute to the bravery of the victim and said this behaviour will not be tolerated in Lincolnshire.

“Chater’s actions were reprehensible and showed a lack of empathy and thought for his victim,” he said.

“This behaviour is unacceptable, and he has rightly been jailed today for the crimes he committed.

“Without the bravery of those who came forward to help us in our investigation, he could still be on the streets, so I’d like to pay tribute to their courage.

“This sends a message to any would-be offender – we will pursue you and pursue all lines of enquiry available to us.

“This is about delivering justice and deterring offenders - we will find you.

“And we will do everything in our power to support victims who come forward.”

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A man who raped a child under the age of 13 has been jailed for 10 years.

Terry Smith of Scoggins Way, Heckington, was found guilty of the offence when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday, 24 October.

The 40-year-old committed the crime in the Lincoln area between 2019 and 2021.

Smith had denied the charge but was found guilty and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The sentence brings a lengthy investigation to a close and Mhairi Boulton, Proecting Vulnerable Persons West Hub Manager, has paid tribute to the victim and their family.

“Smith committed a vile crime that has no place in our community or our society at large. No child deserves to go through such an ordeal,” she said.

“The wait for justice has been a long one and we’d like to thank the victim and family at the heart of this investigation for their patience, understanding and bravery.

“While the road to recovery may be a long one, we hope that this sentence, at least in some small way, helps bring a sense of closure.”

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A 55-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

Christopher Waby, of Chapel Lane, Keadby, near Scunthorpe, committed the offence against the vulnerable teenager in the Market Rasen area, in May 2023.

He was sentenced today (13 October) at Lincoln Crown Court, and a restraining order has also been imposed, to preventing any future contact with the victim.

DC Marie Williamson of our Protecting Vulnerable Persons Department said:

“The victim in this case has been extremely brave in speaking out about this offence which was committed against her when she was at her most vulnerable and unable to protect herself.

"Waby was entrusted to take care of her, but instead of doing so, for his own depraved sexual gratification proceeded to subject her to a horrific sexual assault which has had a huge detrimental impact on his victim’s life.

"This custodial sentence sends a message that this type of offence will not be tolerated.

"Although the victim will never be able to forget what happened, we hope that this sentence will give her some conclusion and go some way to help the her start to re-build her life."

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A man who subjected a child to over eight years of sexual abuse has been jailed for 19 years following his appearance at Grimsby Crown Court on Friday, 3 October 2025.

Andrew Davies, 52-years-old, of Cleethorpes pleaded guilty to three counts of rape of a child under 13, two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault of a child under 13, attempted rape of a child under 13, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and possession of a bladed article on day three of a trial at Grimsby Crown Court that commenced the week of Monday June, 30 2025.

He was sentenced to 19 years in prison with an extended six years on license, placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and also received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Davies was brought to the attention of officers in October 2020 when he attended Grimsby Police Station disclosing accusations that had been made against him. He was arrested and his vehicle searched where a quantity of knives was also located and seized.

An investigation was launched by detectives into the sexual abuse and Davies denied all accusations claiming they were false until eventually pleading guilty on day three of the trial.

Retired Detective Constable Nicholas Pearce, who led the investigation said:

“Davies is a dangerous and perverted individual, taking advantage of a child's trust in him for over eight years, all for his own sexual gratification

“I would like to commend the victim and their family who have showed nothing but bravery and courage throughout the course of the investigation and court proceedings whilst Davies continued to deny allegations.

We take reports of this nature extremely seriously, regardless of whether they are recent or not, and we will continue to seek prosecution against anyone who thinks they will get away with committing such perverse crimes.

“It is never the victim’s fault, and I would strongly appeal for any child who is being manipulated into doing something they don’t want to, or anyone who suspects crimes of this nature are taking place, to please speak to a trusted adult or friend, and report it to us, when you are ready.

“I hope this result will also encourage others to come forward if they have experienced something similar, and I’d like to offer my reassurance that we take all allegations like this seriously, and will do our upmost for our victims, as well as safeguard our wider communities against such acts.”

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A man with learning difficulties has been jailed for twice raping a girl under 13. Kyran Wingfield-West was 17 when he committed the offenses several years ago in northwest Wales.

Wingfield-West, formerly of Anglesey, pleaded guilty to two counts of raping a child under 13. At Caernarfon Crown Court, Judge Her Honour Nicola Jones sentenced him to two years and eight months in a young offenders' institution for each offense.

Prosecutor Jemma Gordon said the crimes were discovered when the victim's father found messages expressing her pregnancy concerns after sex with Wingfield-West. Police investigated and learned the defendant had asked if he should bring a condom, and she said yes.

They had sex in a car park, where he raped her twice. Wingfield-West did not ejaculate and assured her she could not be pregnant. When police got involved, he told the girl to delete a messaging app.

In her statement, the victim said she now understands "even more how wrong the defendant's behaviour was." It has "tainted" her impression of home, and her ordeal must have been difficult for her dad.

Defense barrister Dafydd Roberts cited an expert report calling Wingfield-West a "naive soul." He argued that while the victim was too young to consent, it had been "sex by agreement," and suggested community rehabilitation instead of custody.

The judge told Wingfield-West that as the girl was under 13, she "did not have the capacity to give her consent" to sex. She acknowledged his learning disability but noted his attempt to interfere with the investigation.

The sentence was reduced for his immaturity, mental health difficulties, and guilty pleas.

Wingfield-West, now of Ropery Road, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, was also subjected to an indefinite restraining order, sex offender notification requirements, and sexual harm prevention order.

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We are encouraging victims of non-recent sexual abuse to speak out after a man who groomed a teenage girl more than 45 years ago was jailed today (Thursday 2 October).

After first meeting his victim in Melton Mowbray when she was around 13 years old, John Raisen began committing his crimes in 1979. He took an interest in her relationship with boys, which soon progressed into a sexual interest in her.

Despite knowing her age, his behaviour began with inappropriate touching but over a period of around 15 to 18 months, he encouraged her to engage in sexual activity.

When Raisen’s victim contacted police in 2021 to report what had happened, she said Raisen had made her feel special and that she did not realise what he was doing was wrong. However, she had now come to realise he had stolen part of her childhood.

Following the report, 76-year-old Raisen was interviewed by police and declined to answer all questions put to him in interview.

On 19 September, following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, he was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault and four counts of indecency with a child.

Raisen, of North Parade in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. He has been placed on the sex offender indefinitely and is subject to a lifetime restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim.

Detective Constable Aisling McPhillips was the investigating officer. She said:

“What happened to the victim in this case is something she has had to live with for more than 45 years.

“Today her abuser is finally facing the consequence of his crimes and I hope this now provides a degree of closure and allows her to move on from her past.

“This outcome should also serve as a reminder to anyone who has also been sexually abused that it’s never too late to speak out and that we will continue our work to bring offenders to justice."

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A man who committed 15 sexual offences against a child – including two counts of rape of a girl under 13 – has been jailed for 12 years and nine months.

Dennis Gartsen, of Hobhole Bank, New Leake, Boston, was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Monday 18 August, for charges relating to his young victim.

The 42-year-old was also given an additional four-year period to be served on licence and is now the subject of a stringent sexual harm prevention order on his release.

Gartsen pleaded guilty to the following 15 charges:

• Two counts of rape of a girl under 13.
• Two counts of assault of a girl under 13 by penetration with a part of his body.
• Six counts of assault of a girl under 13 by touching.
• Possession of a prohibited image of a child.
• Three counts of making of an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child.
• Possession of extreme pornographic images / images portraying an act likely to result in serious injury to a person’s private parts.

A further two charges of rape of a girl under 13 were ordered to lie on file. 

An application for his deportation back to his native Netherlands has also been submitted – a process which is reviewed and undertaken by the Home Office. 

The court heard how Gartsen had handed himself in at Boston Police Station on 23 August 2023, advising officers that he had sexually assaulted a child. It was reported that he did so after being confronted by the adults to whom his victim had disclosed the acts, which are reported to have taken place on multiple occasions between December 2021 and August 2023.

A search of devices found at his home address revealed him to be in possession of multiple examples of disturbing pornographic material.

He pleaded guilty to 15 charges at a hearing held on 28 April, where he was remanded to prison to await sentencing.

Specialist officers worked sensitively and meticulously with Gartsen’s courageous young victim and family over the weeks, months, and years following the initial disclosure in August of 2023 to progress this case through the courts to secure today’s sentence. 

Detective Constable Sarah Oliver from the Protecting Vulnerable People unit in Boston, said:

Gartsen carried out deeply disturbing crimes on a particularly young victim. His actions are utterly inexcusable - the child he targeted for his own depraved gratification was so vulnerable.  The victim’s family have been completely devastated by his sickening actions, yet throughout this testing process, the child and her family have demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience.

We hope this ruling offers some measure of conclusion after what can only be described as a most horrific and unimaginable chapter of their lives. While nothing can erase the distress and unquestionable psychological impact, may this serve as a step toward healing.

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A man who committed a string of sexual offences against children has been jailed for two years and six months.

Matthew Marvill of Dorothy Avenue in Skegness was sentenced for his crimes when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday, 14 August.

The 41-year-old sent images of his genitals, engaged in sexual talk and performed a sexual act in front of his victims over a three-year period, the court heard.

The offences took place in the Chapel St Leonards area.

Marvill pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing.

Charges in full

• Engage in sexual communication with a child
• Exposure - SOA 2003
• Engage in sexual activity in presence of a child under 13 - offender 18 or over
• Assault a girl under 13 by touching - SOA 2003
• Assault a girl under 13 by touching - SOA 2003
• Engage in sexual communication with a child
• Sexual assault on a female
• Engage in sexual communication with a child
• Exposure - SOA 2003
• Assault a girl under 13 by touching - SOA 2003
• Sexual assault on a female
• Engage in sexual activity in presence of a child 13 to 15 - offender 18 or over

Detective Constable Carla Sutton said:

“Marvill acted in a wholly inappropriate manner and performed appalling acts in front of young children.

“This behaviour won’t be tolerated in Lincolnshire or society at large and thanks to the courage and strength of the children involved, he won’t be able to abuse anyone else.

“We would encourage anyone who has been abused in this fashion to contact us. We’re here to listen and our specially trained officers will provide as much support as possible.”

Description

A man who raped a woman and strangled her has been jailed for seven years and nine months.

Michael Young, formerly of Skegness Road in Burgh Le Marsh, pleaded guilty to rape and non-fatal strangulation on the first day of a trial back in February at Lincoln Crown Court.

The 35-year-old had been remanded in custody since last year after repeatedly breaking his bail conditions.

Both charges relate to incidents that took place in July 2022 in Skegness, which kickstarted a lengthy investigation by Lincolnshire Police to bring Young to justice.

Today, Thursday, 14 August, he was jailed for more than seven years, given a restraining order and placed on the sex offenders register for life. He was also given five years extended licence.

Speaking at the conclusion of the hearing, DC Claire Chamberlain said she hopes this verdict brings Young’s victim a sense of closure.

She said:

“Young’s actions were barbaric and completely unacceptable – there is no place in our society for such behaviour.

“While I know the road ahead for the victim is a long one, I’d like to praise their courage in this case and hope this sentence gives her some sense of closure.

“Sexual offences have an enormous impact on a person, their family and the wider community. It’s something people have to live with long after the incident takes place.

“We will do everything in our power to bring culprits to justice and ensure the voice of the victim is heard.”

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A man has been jailed for 14 years after he was found guilty of non-recent sex offences against four girls under 16.

Ben Cairns, 44, of St Mary’s Way, Old Leake, Boston, was convicted of seven offences at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday 11 July 2025.

These included six counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one count of assault a child under 13 by penetration.

The offences took place between 2014 and 2020.

Cairns was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

Sergeant Cherry Miller said:

“This sentencing marks the end of a long journey for the survivors, who have shown immense courage in coming forward and throughout the process, which has taken a very long time to get to this sentencing. The children have shown incredible strength and determination to report him to the police and support the investigation.

“Ben Cairns would be a free man if it was not for their bravery in giving their evidence and confronting their abuser. Cairns is a sexual predator who gained the trust of the victims and their families. He abused the trust placed in him to commit the most heinous of crimes, preying on their vulnerability.

“Thanks to these brave children and the support of their families, justice has finally been served. I hope this outcome brings them some measure of closure.”