Man sentenced for child sex offences

A man has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison for a number of child sexual offences including four counts of rape.

Scott Peter Alec Pearce pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court today (Monday 4 May) for four counts of rape of a child under 13 and one count of sexual assault of a child under 13 by penetration. The offences happened between November 2019 and March 2020.

The 27-year-old, of HMP Leicester, was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and ordered to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

In March this year, police were contacted by the grandparent of a 12-year-old child after the child had disclosed she had had sexual intercourse with Pearce on four occasions.

Officers from the Child Abuse Investigation Unit commenced an investigation which started with the video interviewing of the child.  The child disclosed the abuse started as far back as 2019 and as recently as days before police were informed. She further went on to detail the episodes where Pearce had raped her and had sexually touched her.

Following the disclosures made to police, Pearce was arrested and interviewed. He made a number of limited admissions to officers and was subsequently charged and remanded to appear at court.

Detective Constable Marina Waka was the investigating officer and has commended the child’s bravery.

She said: “Despite her age, she has shown an enormous amount of bravery and strength in making that disclosure and describing what happened to her; details I am sure she has found extremely difficult to talk about.

“Pearce is serious sexual offender who is now facing a significant prison sentence for what he did. My only relief is that he pleaded guilty and admitted his crimes, sparing the child and her family the ordeal of a trial and having to relive in great detail the terrible offences he committed against her.”

Detective Inspector Nicole Main, who leads the force’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, added: “A significant amount of work has gone into this investigation, from the initial report to police to the offender being sentenced at court.

“This has all happened in the space of six weeks, where given the current period we are in, not all the processes that usually take place have been as straightforward.

“I think this case shows a great example of commitment by the team and our ongoing dedication to tackle child sexual abuse despite what challenges we may be faced with.”