August 2012

Man jailed for sexual assaults and touching girl, 6

A THIRD man to be convicted of historical sex abuse has been jailed for five years.

Royston Mitchell suffered a heart problem during the month-long trial he contested with co-accused Darrell Cotterell and Brian Macey-Morris.

He attended Bristol Crown Court yesterday to learn his fate after being convicted of four indecent assaults and one charge of indecency with a child.

The court heard he was found guilty of improper touching of a girl when she was aged as young as six, and he made her touch him improperly.

Mitchell, 63, of Ashburton Road, Southmead, denied rape and nine indecency charges on two girls from 1977 to 1985.

Cotterell, 65, of Hallen Road, Henbury denied a serious sexual assault and two rapes of a girl.

He also denied attempted rape and eight indecent assaults on another girl and four indecency charges and an attempted serious sexual assault relating to a boy.

Brian Macey-Morris, 72, of York Road, Montpelier, denied two attempted rapes and three indecent assaults on a girl.

A jury of eight men and four women took 14 hours, 52 minutes to return mostly unanimous guilty verdicts.

The Recorder of Bristol Judge Neil Ford QC directed a not guilty verdict on one rape charge faced by Cotterell.

Judge Ford jailed Cotterell for 17 years and Macey-Morris for seven years.

Jailing Mitchell, who will serve two-thirds of his sentence under old law relevant to the commission of his crimes, the judge told him: “The effect of you offending against her, combined with the effects of others who have committed sexual offences against her, have undoubtedly blighter her life.”

Mitchell’s victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Post: “For me, there have been no winners, although I am glad that justice has prevailed in this case.

“His actions and those of his co- defendants changed the course of my life.

“The pain and effect of this will be with me forever. I hope I can now move on.”

Robert Duval, defending Mitchell, said: “The jury’s verdict means justice has eventually caught up with Mr Mitchell.”