This was one of my last stories before I left the Carlisle News & Star. One of the most important roles we have as reporters is to cover court cases in both Magistrates Court and the more serious cases at Crown Court. This is to see that open justice is carried out. Having said that sometimes we have to hear some gruesome evidence and a lot of which is not explicitly repeated in the press on the grounds of taste. This was a particularly tough case to follow because of the evidence and I believe the defendant’s hair dye of choice was boot polish.

Paedophile gave gifts to victims

A PREDATORY paedophile who systematically groomed two young Carlisle boys before subjecting them to a sustained period of sexual abuse during the 1990s has been jailed for 10 years.

Ernest Kenyon, an 85-year-old from Mardale Road in the Raffles area of Carlisle, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court yesterday.

He had pleaded guilty to a string of offences during a hearing last week including two charges of serious sexual assault, dating from between 1992 and 1994, as well as 10 counts of indecent assault between 1990 and 1996.

Tim Brennand, prosecuting, said the two serious sexual assault charges were against the same victim when he was aged between 10 and 11, with four of the indecent assault charges against the same victim when he was aged between eight and 11. The remainder were against the second victim when he was aged between 11 and 14.

Mr Brennand said Kenyon had known the families of both his victims and added: “Over an extended period of time and quite separately, he engaged in a concerted campaign of grooming both boys.”

He said that he gave them money and gifts and “showered them with attention, treats and days out”.

“The boys would be encouraged to visit Kenyon’s home or his shed on his allotment,” he said. “The boys became very fond and affectionate towards the defendant.

“This trust was abused as the defendant set about sexualising his relationship with the boys.”

Mr Brennand said that Kenyon used money as a way of entrapping the boys into participating and to begin with he encouraged them to sit on his knee – before escalating his abuse over time.

He added: “No force was ever used or threatened – but the innocence of these boys was corrupted by the defendant who engaged in classic grooming techniques. ”

Mr Brennand said that the offences only came to light when one of the victims went to the police in January this year.

He added that Kenyon was arrested later that month and admitted that he knew both of the victims and that he had engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with them.

Keith Thomas, in mitigation, said that following previous press reports about the case his client had received two unsolicited handwritten documents from anonymous neighbours – but did not disclose their contents.

He added that Kenyon was a man in his 80s who suffered from a number of health issues.

Judge Paul Batty QC said: “This is a harrowing case and it’s perfectly clear from the prosecution’s opening, which you accept, that there was the systematic corruption and debauching of two little boys.”

He added that there were several aggravating features including being trustedby both families and that the victims suffered psychological problems as a result of the abuse.

“Whilst the sexual abuse did not involve coercion it was almost the classic trail of sexual abuse by a predator,” he said.

The judge added that the victims had both felt ashamed as a result and added: “They had nothing to be ashamed about – it was you who took them to that place. You and you alone are to blame for this activity. The day of reckoning has now come for you. This case is so grave that a significant custodial sentence must follow.”

As well as 10 years in prison Kenyon was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.

From the Carlisle News & Star on Wednesday, December 10, 2014.