Man jailed for two years after being convicted of non-recent child sex offences in Bishopstoke

A man has been jailed for a total of two years a for a number of non-recent child sex offences.

Mark James Wright, aged 53, of Mitre Copse in Bishopstoke plead guilty at Southampton Crown Court on 16 January to eight counts of indecent assault of a girl under the age of 14.  

The offences took place against a child between 1984 and 1991, all of which occurred at an address in the Bishopstoke area.  

Wright today (19 January) appeared at the same court and was sentenced to a total of two years in prison.

Detective Constable Hayley Channell of Hampshire Constabulary, said: “We appreciate that today’s sentencing won’t take away the fact that Wright committed these offences against his victim while they were much younger than him, but we do hope that this brings some form of closure.

“He has now been sentenced appropriately for his crimes and I would like to take this opportunity to praise the victim’s courage and bravery in coming forward and reporting these incidents to police; irrespective of how long ago they took place.

“Their actions have allowed us to conduct a thorough investigation, supported by specialist officers, and present key evidence in court to support a prosecution which has ultimately led to today’s sentencing.

“We are pleased to see that justice has been served, allowing the victim and their family, to move on from this terrible ordeal that they have had hanging over them for many years.

“We want to show you that no matter the circumstances, we are committed to supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault and we will do everything we can to identify offenders and put them in front of a court

“We are committed to getting justice for victims and would encourage anyone has been victim of child sexual abuse, or if they know someone who has been impacted by child sexual abuse, to contact police on 101. They can speak with our specialist officers with confidence"

As a survivor of sexual abuse, you’re entitled to support whether you report the crime or not. You can access different types of support depending on how you’re feeling and what you decide to do next.

You can visit https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/ to see the support on offer.

If you’ve been a victim, please report rape or sexual assault as soon as possible. Even if you’re not 100 per cent sure, we’d sooner 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. There are a range of places to get support, advice and medical help.

You can speak to a number of organisations in confidence and what you tell them won't be shared with the police unless you ask for it to be.

For more information, please visit https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/