Description
A vile paedophile who abused children in Derby suburbs, in Derbyshire and Lincolnshire over two decades has been jailed for 30 years with a further eight years on licence.
Andrew Ditchfield committed dozens of horrific sex offences including rapes and sexual assaults against multiple victims in the 1990s and 2000s.
This abuse took place in Chaddesden, Littleover, Sinfin and Alvaston in the 1990s and early 2000s where he committed his crimes in houses, camp sites and leisure facilities.
The 54-year-old, who was described as a "manipulative and predatory paedophile", targeted extremely vulnerable children in Derbyshire, before moving to Lincolnshire where he continued to offend.
The defendant had denied the offences, meaning all 14 of his known victims had to give evidence and relive the traumatic events in Derby Crown Court during his trial in August, this year, something that led one of his victims to attempt suicide.
The court heard that his victims had been left destroyed by the abuse, with many suffering from flashbacks, difficulty forming intimate relationships, problems trusting men, developing post traumatic stress disorder and having suicidal thoughts.
A jury later unanimously found him guilty of 43 offences including multiple counts of rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, attempted buggery, indecency with a child, sexual activity with a child and sexual assault.
At the same court on Friday, October 15, Ditchfield, now of Fourways, Tetney, Grimsby, was jailed for 30 years.
James Varley, prosecuting, told the court that the defendant was a man "whose entire life seemingly revolved around the sexual abuse and grooming of young boys".
Mr Varley said: "The defendant is a predatory paedophile who preys on the young and the vulnerable, most often vulnerable teenage boys."
He said Ditchfield often used alcohol, drugs and the availability of pornography to gain the trust of his victims, while also using a "souped up" car to gain their attention.
He would also befriend parents who took an interest in their children, and portrayed himself as a social worker and someone who wanted to help vulnerable children.
The court heard that Ditchfield began the offending by having children sleep round at his house, before things would progress to having his victims sleep in his bed and eventually sexually abusing them.
This included performing sex acts on them. In some cases he would rape or attempt to rape his victims.
On one occasion he even privately adopted one of his victims, submitting fake paperwork to a court saying he was a foster carer.
After moving to Lincolnshire, he continued to abuse children, before he was eventually arrested in 2017.
Mr Varley said Ditchfield had devastated the lives of his victims, all of whom submitted emotional impact statements.
He said one victim "didn't get a chance at a childhood", while multiple victims had attempted to take their own lives.
Many had been diagnosed with mental health issues as a result of the abuse, with some suffering from depression, post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.
Charlotte Rimmer, mitigating on behalf of Ditchfield, told the court his family remain supportive of him.
She said: "He was adopted as a baby. His adoptive parents who he has remained in contact with remain supportive of him. It's a close knit family that he comes from. The whole family are utterly shocked by these proceedings."
She added that there was very little in the way of personal mitigation given Ditchfield denied the offences.
"He accepts that a lengthy custodial sentence is inevitable," she said.
Judge Robert Egbuna imprisoned Ditchfield for 30 years and gave him an extended licence of eight years, giving him a total sentence of 38 years.
An extended sentence is designed for offenders who are extremely dangerous but for whom a sentence of life imprisonment is not justified.
He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, preventing him from having contact with children until further notice.
Judge Egbuna said: "This was a campaign of offending stretching over a number of years. These [offences] were clearly planned. You targeted vulnerable children.
"You groomed your victims, you distanced them from their families and were in a position of trust.
"The consequences of your abuse have been significant and many view the word significant as an understatement."
Judge Egbuna added that while Ditchfield had also abused two young girls, he was of the belief he had only done this to provide himself with sexual experience for when he attempted to fool people into thinking he was in relationships with women.
"[It is said] you are dangerous, a fact I agree with having presided over this case," he said.
"It's clear you would use any form of deception to satisfy your needs.
"You are a manipulative and cunning man. That I have seen clearly for myself from observing you while giving evidence."
Ditchfield was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order preventing him from having contact with children until further notice.
Chris Knowles from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "The sheer scale of Ditchfield's offending is staggering.
"Prosecuting this case has revealed a picture of relentless offending, preying on the most vulnerable children the defendant could find and doing unspeakable harm to these people's lives.
"Ditchfield portrayed himself as the person people thought they wanted in their lives, providing attention and excitement. He manipulated families and carers to believe in him. The betrayal of this trust left survivors feeling alone and isolated.
"Understandably, people have come forward as they have heard about the investigation and the case. It is so important that all of Andrew Ditchfield's victims have had a voice.
"This has meant that we have built a case that has shown Andrew Ditchfield for who he is – a dangerous and manipulative predator.
"Even throughout his trial he has lied about his actions and refused to take responsibility. Instead he blamed his victims, accusing them of colluding to invent their allegations.
"The guilty verdicts from the jury and today's sentence have shown that he, and only he is to blame. I hope that having their voices heard in court will be of some help to the survivors of this appalling abuse.
"In preparing for today's sentencing, the CPS has made it clear to the court just how much of a risk Ditchfield poses to society. The seriousness of his offending and refusal to accept responsibility for his actions have been reflected in today's jail term."