Former Church Bus Driver Jailed for "Campaign of Sexual Abuse" against Six Young Girls

By Jenny Loweth
Telegraph and Argus
October 10, 2015

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/13838748.Former_church_bus_driver_jailed_for__campaign_of_sexual_abuse__against_six_young_girls/

A PAEDOPHILE former church bus driver has been jailed for 11 years for a "campaign of sexual abuse" against six young girls spanning 18 years.

Tony Mitchell raped a child of 11, telling police: "She liked me doing that," and molested five others, Bradford Crown Court was told.

Mitchell, 45, of Idlethorp Way, Thorpe Edge, Bradford, wept in the dock and held his hands as if clasped in prayer when he was sentenced yesterday.

He pleaded guilty to nine offences against six girls, aged between seven and 13.

Mitchell, who used to own a second hand shop in Bradford, began working as a volunteer bus driver for the Church on the Way in Bradford Road, Idle, in 2012.

Prosecutor Jayne Beckett said that last year, Social Services told the pastor that sexual allegations had been made against Mitchell and he stopped driving the bus.

He sought counselling at the church and confessed to abusing two of the girls.

The church told him that if he did not go to the police, it would report him. Mitchell handed himself in on March 31 this year, Mrs Beckett said.

The allegations did not involve any children on the church bus.

The court heard the first girl Mitchell indecently assaulted was now aged 30. He touched her sexually when she was 11 or 12.

The second victim, now 21, was eight on nine when he abused her.

Mitchell told her mother: "I admit what I have done. I am a paedophile. I am a pervert."

He also said he was "sick in the head," Mrs Beckett said.

He touched a third girl, now in her mid teens, indecently in a house and a car.

Mitchell raped a girl of 11 or 12, who now had mental problems, the court heard.

She used dolls to demonstrate to the police what he had done to her.

Mitchell admitted to detectives he took advantage of her, saying "She liked me doing that."

He sat with his head in his hands as Mrs Beckett said that one of his victims was just seven years old.

She told police officers the abuse had made her feel sad.

Mitchell's solicitor advocate, Ray Singh, said: "He expresses his deep remorse and disgust at his conduct against all of these young girls."

He had made frank admissions, owning up to offences that had not been reported by his victims.

"This really is a defendant who wishes to draw a line under his offending and unburden himself of his disgraceful behaviour," Mr Singh said.

Judge Peter Benson told Mitchell: "You conducted a campaign of sexual abuse against young girls over a period of years."

The judge made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to protect children from Mitchell in the future.