Historic child sex offender jailed after grooming Grimsby boy, 12

A man has been jailed for 14 years after being convicted of the historic sexual abuse of a Grimsby boy and another boy in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Andrew Marshall, 41, of Kimberley Road, Benfleet, Essex, had denied a total of 11 offences, including six counts of indecent assault, one of grooming, two of penetrative sexual activity with a boy, one of inciting sexual activity with a boy and one of rape.

However, on Monday, June 19, a jury sitting at Grimsby Crown Court found him guilty of 10 of the 11 counts. The charge of grooming was ordered to lie on file.

The court heard Marshall’s abuse of both boys began when he posed as a 19-year-old in an online chatroom site they had both visited after beginning to question their sexuality.

He first made contact with the Grimsby boy when the victim was just 12-years-old.

The abuse continued for around five years, during which Marshall bought him gifts – including a mobile phone, computer equipment and drugs – and even set up a bank account in his name telling him to treat the money he paid in for him as ‘pocket money’.

Throughout that time, Marshall regularly pressured the boy into engaging in sex acts in his car and latterly at a Grimsby hotel.

An investigation was launched in May 2015, when the then 23-year-old victim came to Grimsby Police Station and revealed what had happened to him.

During the course of the investigation it emerged that in 2008 Marshall had committed similar offences against a second 13-year-old boy in Leeds.

The victim revealed Marshall had also sexually abused him on two occasions after buying him expensive gifts, including designer underwear and computer equipment.

As well as being jailed for 14 years, Marshall was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which bans him from being alone with children or from working with them for life.

Welcoming the “significant jail term” handed to Marshall, DC Mark Lilleyman, who lead the two year investigation, said: “I am delighted that this dangerous sexual predator is now safely behind bars and his victims can begin to rebuild their lives.

“I would like to thank both men for their bravery in coming forward and telling us what happened to them. Thanks to their courage, Marshall is now unable to target any other victims and will spend a significant period of time in prison.

“I also hope that the sentence imposed on Marshall will serve as a warning to others that this kind of behaviour will not go unnoticed or unpunished. We will find out, we will find you and we will get justice for your victims.”