Southport paedophile ‘John Durkin’ jailed for 16 years

by
22nd April 2016

Photo: John Durkin

Merseyside Police is welcoming the 16 year sentence of John Durkin from Southport for historic sexual offences today, Friday 22 April.

53-year-old Durkin, of Mount Street in Southport, was convicted of 18 counts of Indecent Assault against a female under 16. As well as being sentenced to 16 years in prison, Durkin was also issued with an indefinite Sexual Offences Protection Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

All the offences are historic and date back to the 1980s-1990s.

Detective Inspector Jimmy Belmar from Sefton Vulnerable Persons Unit said: “Durkin’s victims have shown immense bravery in coming forward. Time should never be a barrier to obtaining justice and I hope today’s sentence gives them some sense of closure and vindicates their decision to come forward.

“If anybody else is out there suffering in silence I want you to know that there is help and support available to you, both from Merseyside Police, where we have specially trained officers who will listen to you and treat you with sensitivity and compassion, and from reliable and trusted support groups who will support you from your initial report and for as long as you need.

“In the last six years we have experienced increased levels of reporting, including historic cases, and this is a real indication of confidence in the way the police and other agencies on Merseyside respond to complaints of rape and serious sexual assault.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to reassure anyone who has suffered a sexual offence that if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us, we will treat you with sensitivity and compassion and make sure that reports are properly and thoroughly investigated.”

Anyone wishing to report a sexual offence can call officers in the force’s specialist Unity team on 0151 777 1382. Information can also be passed to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

 

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