A man from Harrogate has been jailed for four years for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl.
Paul John Geagan, aged 52, was sentenced at York Crown Court on Tuesday (25 February 2020) having previously pleading guilty to sexual assault by touching which occurred in 2015.
He also admitted to possessing GBL, a controlled Class C drug, and possessing 1,193 extreme pornographic images involving bestiality.
Gaegan was arrested by North Yorkshire Police’s Non-Recent Abuse Investigation Team in November 2017 after the victim bravely came forward two years after her ordeal.
At some time between October and November 2015, Geagan had invited her into his flat to watch a film and subjected her to a sexual assault by touching.
Detective Constable Fiona Saunderson, who led the investigation, said:
The victim was only 12 when she was abused by Paul Geagan. She felt unable to tell anyone for two years before finding the courage to tell a friend and her mum.
The assault has had an enormous impact on her young life and left her frightened, depressed and suicidal.
She showed incredible bravery at court when she read out her victim personal statement in person. The Judge referred to her statement as ‘harrowing’.
Paul Geagan showed not one scrap of remorse and didn’t look up at all whilst she read her statement. He was on the video link and kept his eyes shut as if he was trying to sleep through it.
It is also worth mentioning the history of the case. Geagan failed to appear on three separate occasions before each court hearing and police had to force entry to his home on each time to find he had taken an overdose. T
he Judge stated it was his judgement that he was trying to avoid the inevitable trial.
It has been a long and difficult journey for the victim and her family, but hopefully they have finally been afforded some justice.
