Leighton Buzzard man jailed for nine years for sexual abuse of children

A Leighton Buzzard man convicted of sex assaults on two children has been jailed for a total of nine years, and added to the sex offenders’ register for life.

Peter Crane, aged 65, of Billington Road, was convicted by a jury at Luton Crown Court on January 21, of the historic sex offences. He received his sentence on Monday (March 14).

PC Matt McCarthy, from Bedfordshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People team, said: “Crane to this day refutes the overwhelming evidence against him – including strong and brave testimony from the victims

“As well as the emotional impact of his offending, he has continued to put his victims through a further ordeal of a trial.

"No matter how much time has passed, we will always fully investigate and seek to prosecute any sexual offenders and would encourage anyone who has experienced abuse to come forward, regardless of when it happened.”

As well as the nine-year jail term, Crane will remain on licence for a further year following the sentence and will be registered as a sex offender for life.

Police point out it is never too late to report sexual abuse. To report a crime, or seek advice, call the non-emergency, 24/7 number 101. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service on 18001 101.

If you are concerned about a child, you can also contact the NSPCC to speak to a professional practitioner, speak to the children's social care team at your local council or contact Crimestoppers confidentially and anonymously. If someone is in immediate danger, always call 999.

The force has specialist teams dedicated to supporting victims and works with a range of other agencies to provide support.

Bedfordshire Victim Care Services offers a comprehensive range of range of support to victims of crime, even if it has not been reported to the police. To find out more, visit Bedfordshire VCS at https://www.bedfordshirevcs.com.

See a full list of support services in Bedfordshire here.

Find out more about how to report child abuse here.