Sex offender jailed for 15 years for crimes against girl under 13
A 33-year-old man from Faldingworth near Market Rasen has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for a string of sexual offences against a girl under the age of 13. Matthew Derek Clarke pleaded guilty to a number of offences and was jailed at Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday, June 22. Clarke targeted his victim, described…
Matthew Derek Clarke has been jailed for 15 years. Photo: Lincolnshire Police
A 33-year-old man from Faldingworth near Market Rasen has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for a string of sexual offences against a girl under the age of 13.
Matthew Derek Clarke pleaded guilty to a number of offences and was jailed at Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday, June 22.
Clarke targeted his victim, described in court as “extremely vulnerable”, and he committed a string of serious sexual offences against her over an eight year period.
James Bide-Thomas, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court that Clarke groomed his victim before moving on to sexually abuse her.
The offences came to light when his victim was spoken to by police in connection with a separate incident.
The girl was interviewed as a witness in that matter and went on to reveal the horrific abuse she had suffered at the hands of Clarke.
Later when Clarke’s mobile phone was examined police found over 1,100 child porn images.
Clarke, 33, of no fixed address but formerly of Stocks Lane, Faldingworth, admitted a total of 28 charges including rape of a child under the age of 13, assault by penetration of a child under 13, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault, taking indecent photographs of a child and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order designed to restrict his behaviour on his release from custody.
Judge John PIni QC, passing sentence, told Clarke: “You have pleaded guilty to extremely serious and repeated sexual offending. From a young age you groomed your victim and used her as a sex toy. She was extremely vulnerable.”
James Gray, in mitigation, said Clarke has been undergoing treatment since being remanded into custody following his arrest.
Mr Gray said: “He has demonstrated a significant degree of insight into his offences.”
Detective Sergeant Gail Hurley, of Lincoln Public Protection Unit at Lincolnshire Police, paid tribute to staff for their investigation into the case.
She said: “The sentencing today means that a dangerous and predatory sex offender will be imprisoned for a significant time.
“It’s a message to any perpetrator that we will do all we can to bring cases to court and put an end to such vile and depraved offending.
“I would like to pay tribute to the victim whose bravery throughout this process has been invaluable.”
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An amber warning for heavy rainfall and flooding has been issued in Lincolnshire for three days this week, from Tuesday to Thursday.
There are currently four warnings and fourteen alerts of flooding for the county, with floods expected at the River Trent and the River Witham.
Associated fens from Chapel Hill to Boston, Washingborough to Metheringham, and Woodhall Spa back to Chapel Hill are expected to be affected by floods.
Multiple flood warnings and alerts across Lincolnshire. | Photo: GOV.UK
Heavy rainfall combined with snowmelt across the hills is being predicted to cause flooding across the county, causing the Met Office to issue an amber warning.
The rain warning lasts for three days in Lincolnshire, starting at 6am on Tuesday, January 19 and finishing at 12pm on Thursday, January 21.
Temperatures are likely to hit around 10-11℃ on Tuesday and Wednesday, before dropping back down to a more consistent 6℃ by Thursday ahead of the weekend.
Heavy rainfall is expected to hit Lincolnshire this week. | Photo: Met Office
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney has been given a formal warning for promoting his role as a magistrate on a political leaflet.
The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said Mr McCartney’s advertising of his role as a magistrate on the supplemental list “gave the appearance of seeking to gain advantage, which is contrary to guidance that is intended to protect judicial independence and impartiality”.
A statement from the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland and Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.
They said: “In reaching their decision, they noted that Mr McCartney had previously received a disciplinary sanction for similar behaviour and was unwilling to acknowledge the inappropriateness of his actions.”
The statement includes no further detail on the leaflet such as when it was issued or what it said specifically
The Conservative MP, who took his Lincoln seat back from Labour’s Karen Lee in December 2019, notes his role that he has been a magistrate since 1999 on his website.
Karl McCartney’s “About Karl” section on his website mentions the role.
Following a list of roles he has undertaken since the early 1990s, his website states: “He has been a Parish Councillor, a school governor and a Magistrate since 1999.”
He also referred to it in his election leaflets in June 2017 where he said: “Having sat as a Magistrate in Lincoln for many years, Karl has seen at first hand the effect crime has on our society.”
As does this leaflet from June 2017.
Karl McCartney has been contacted for comment, but did not reply by the time of publication.
A driver who crashed their car into a central reservation in Lincoln, causing it to flip onto its side, was nowhere to be found in the vehicle.
Police were called to the incident on Broadgate at around 3.15am on Monday morning, when a silver Nissan collided with the central reservation as the driver was heading uphill.
The crash caused the car to lose control and roll onto its side, but when emergency services arrived at the scene, the driver was not there.
Police looked for the driver but could not find them.
Eyewitnesses are speculating that a homeless man who saw the crash helped the driver out of the vehicle, but this has not been confirmed.
The crash caused the road to be momentarily closed in the early hours of the morning, before reopening a lane at 4.50am.
A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “We have not located the driver, so are not aware of any injuries.”
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