Leeds businessman jailed over serious sex abuse of girl

A businessman who carried out repeated serious sex assaults on a young girl has been jailed for 14 years.
Keith Emmerson.Keith Emmerson.
Keith Emmerson.

Keith Emmerson, 40, was handed the lengthy sentence today after a judge described how his victim had been left deeply traumatised.

Leeds Crown Court heard Emmerson’s offending eventually came to light after the victim built up a relationship with a psychiatrist and revealed the full extent of the abuse she had suffered.

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Emmerson, of Primrose Road, Halton, Leeds, was found guilty of four offences of rape of a child under 13, two of assault of a child under 13 by penetration, two of sexual assault of a child under 13, inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The court heard Emmerson was arrested and released on bail after the victim made an initial complaint to police about him.

The girl then revealed the full details of what Emmerson had done to her more than a year later after speaking with a psychiatrist.

The court heard the girl was first abused by Emmerson when she was eight years old.

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Emmerson continued to deny the offences and the victim had to give evidence at trial

Describing the impact of the offending on the victim, Recorder Margia Mostafa told Emmerson: “I have observed (the victim) give her evidence and she struck me as an incredibly sad and deflated young girl.

She added: “You continued to inflict your abusive desires on her.”

The court heard the girl continues to suffer with anxiety as a result of the abuse.

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Emmerson was told he must serve a custodial term of 14 years, followed by extended period on licence of one year.

Emmerson must also go on the sex offender register for life.

Michael Greenhalgh, mitigating, said Emmerson had no previous convictions and continued to deny the offences.

He said Emmerson had worked hard to build up a business renting out hot tubs but he had now given the company up as a result of the convictions.

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