Brother who sexually assaulted younger sister is jailed

On Friday (May 26), Preston Crown Court heard how the now 36-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons committed the offences when he was aged 12 to 16 – his younger sister was aged between five and nine.

Prosecuting, Robert Smith said that the man, who grew up in Blackburn, would take his sister to his bedroom where he would sexually assault her – he did not rape her on any occasion.

The court heard how the girl would be crying while her brother was making her commit acts upon him.

He would ask her is she wanted to ‘play’ and told her ‘not to tell anyone’ about what was happening between them and that it was ‘their thing’.

The offences would take place in the family home and the family did know on at least two occasions it was happening, but it did not stop.

The court also heard how he had a fascination with ribs, even contacting his sister inappropriately in her adult life about his fetish.

In a victim impact statement, the girl said that she ‘lost count of how many times it happened’ and that when she was younger she did not realise it was wrong and thought it was ‘special time with her brother’.

She also disclosed how much the abuse had affected her mental health and that she struggled to trust following the events.

She said how her grandmother had caught her brother naked and on top of her at one point and how her father also knew when the abuse was happening, but nothing was ever passed onto the police.

In the statement, she also said how she still loved her brother and that she did not want him to go to jail but hoped he could get help.

As an adult, the man admitted his offending and it was referred to police.

Mitigating, Isobel Thomas said that her client was a child at the time of the offending and that he is very sorry about what he did to his sister.

Ms Thomas also said that her client suffered from mental health issues which he is being medicated for.

The man pleaded guilty to three counts of inciting a child under 16 to commit an act of gross indecency and 10 counts of indecent assault.

Judge Phillip Parry jailed the man for five years and he will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and sexual notification requirements for 10 years.

While sentencing, Judge Parry said: “At the time you were between 12 and 16 and she was aged five to nine.

“You told her not to say anything to anybody. You said it was normal and natural.

“She came to see it as her special time with her brother.

“It was obvious she didn’t like what you were doing as she was crying.

“You knew what you were doing to her was wrong.”