'Despicable' Leeds child rapist jailed for Center Parcs assault has sentence appeal rejected
A rapist who attacked a 15-year-old girl in a lodge at Center Parcs and was labelled “utterly despicable”, has had his appeal against the length of his sentence dismissed at the Royal Courts of Justice.
Caden Crossley, 30, was given an extended 12-year jail sentence in January after he admitted the rape at the Nottinghamshire holiday park when DNA linked him to the scene. The sentence was made up of eight years’ custody, with a four-year extended licence period.
However, he was told it must run consecutively to a five-year sentence he was already serving for firearm offences.
Representing Crossley at the court in London this morning, Denise Breen-Lawton KC argued that the overall 17-year sentence “is too much” and the “principal of totality” needed to be considered.
Crossley appeared in court over video link from HMP Whatton in Nottinghamshire.
But after a brief discussion between the sitting judges, HHJ Angela Morris, the Recorder of Winchester, told Crossley that the judges’ decision and length of the sentence imposed was “neither wrong” nor “excessive”, thus dismissing his appeal.
Crossley had been on holiday with his partner at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire in June 2022.
After rowing with her, Crossley sought sanctuary in a neighbouring lodge after previously getting to know the occupants. As others in the building were sleeping, Crossley climbed into bed with the schoolgirl.
She woke up to find Crossley touching her, before he began to rape her. She initially pretended to be asleep but then raised the alarm and the police were called.
Crossley denied having any sexual contact with his victim even when confronted with damning DNA evidence that proved he was lying. With a trial date set at Nottingham Crown Court, Crossley, who is from Leeds, eventually pleaded guilty to rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault.
He was already serving a five-year jail sentence after he was convicted of firearms offences in March 2023.
Following his sentencing in January, Detective Constable Gemma Sidebottom, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Crossley raped and sexually assaulted a child as she slept and has rightly received a very significant jail sentence.
“His actions that day were utterly despicable and have, unsurprisingly, had a very significant impact on his victim and her family.
“In subsequent police interviews – including one conducted in jail – Crossley repeatedly denied anything had happened, calling into question the honesty of the victim in his case.
“Even when confronted with incontrovertible DNA evidence of this crime, he carried on lying about what had happened – adding further stress for his victim and her family.”