Dangerous Leeds sex offender who raped five-year-old boy branded a 'monster' by the victim's heartbroken mum as he is jailed for more than 17 years

A dangerous sex offender who raped a five-year-old boy was branded a monster by the child's distraught mum as he was given an extended prison sentence of more than 17 years.
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Gareth Briggs was told by a judge that he represented a serious danger to children after hearing how he carried out the sex attack on the youngster in a toilet.

Briggs has previous convictions for child sex offences and was the subject of a sexual harm prevention order when he targeted the boy.

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The 31-year-old was arrested after the boy told his mother about what had happened to him.

Gareth Briggs was given an extended prison sentence for raping five-year-old boy.Gareth Briggs was given an extended prison sentence for raping five-year-old boy.
Gareth Briggs was given an extended prison sentence for raping five-year-old boy.

Briggs, of no fixed address, was interviewed and denied carrying out the sex attack.

He later pleaded guilty to rape.

The court heard he has a conviction for indecently assaulting a boy at a cinema in 2004.

In 2015 he was jailed for inciting a ten-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity.

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Briggs was returned to prison in 2019 for breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The mother of the victim of his latest attack attended Leeds Crown Court to see Briggs sentenced.

She broke down in tears as she read a victim impact statement to the court in which she described the devastating impact of the offence upon her family.

Describing Briggs as a 'monster', she told the court: "It breaks my heart imagining how scared my little boy must have been.

"Why could something so horrible happen to my family.

"Tears seem to constantly fill my eyes."

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The woman described how her son continues to suffer as a result of his ordeal.

She described how she has to comfort her son when he awakes screaming and crying in the night.

The mother added: "I often feel helpless and just wish I could take it away.

"I am scared about what the future holds for him.

"I pray every single day (he) will be ok."

The mother also described how her son needed professional emotional support but it had been put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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She continued: "No child or parent should ever have to experience sexual abuse."

Charles Blatchford, mitigating, said Briggs accepted that he must receive a long prison sentence.

The barrister said: "He had a troubled and traumatic childhood.

"He is an inadequate individual who suffers from anxiety.

"He is an isolated and lonely man."

Briggs was given an extended prison sentence totalling 17 years and nine months.

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He must serve a custodial term of nine years and nine months followed by a licence period of eight years.

Judge Simon Batiste said: "You have previous sexual convictions. You have shown a total failure and refusal to engage and work to address your sexual offending.

"The assessment by the probation service is that you present an extremely high risk of causing serious harm."