Man sentenced to 24 years in prison for non-recent child sex offences in Shanklin.

A 63 year old man has been sent to prison for 24 years after being found guilty of eight non-recent child sex offences that took place in Shanklin.

We received a report in August 2021 that a girl under the age of 10 had been sexually abused between June 2005 and March 2006. Following a thorough investigation Keith Heselton of Mulberry Mead in Whitchurch was charged with nine offences.

On 3 April Heselton was found guilty at Newport Crown Court of eight offences following a trial:

• Two offences of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13.
• One offence of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching.
• Two offences of raping a girl under 13.
• One offence of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration.
• Two offences of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity - no penetration.

On Monday 12 June Heselton was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court to 24 years in prison, with a minimum term of 16 years, an additional five year license order, and a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Police Staff Investigator Louisa Parkin said: “The victim in this case, now a grown woman, has lived with the memory of this awful abuse for decades, I’m pleased we can give her the outcome the case deserved and finally some closure. I’d like to commend her bravery for coming forward and sticking with the investigation.

“We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously. We have specially trained teams that can investigate these kinds of offences and provide support to victims. If you have experienced these kinds of offences we can make a commitment to you that you will be heard and listened to, and your report will be believed. We are determined to put victims first and relentlessly pursue offenders, especially when investigating these kinds of cases”

If you have been affected by child sexual abuse you can contact police on 101 and speak to a police officer in confidence.

We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to speak to police, but there are support services available that can help you if you are a victim of abuse.

Anyone who has experienced abuse in childhood or is concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline confidentially on 0808 800 5000 or email [email protected]. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111.

You can also visit our website for further information about support services near you: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/