A voluntary confession to police in respect of sexual offences against a child carries diminished mitigating weight where the offender's conduct was already known to family members, the offender's marriage had broken down as a result, and the offender had reason to believe a complaint might be made. A sentence of 10 years' imprisonment (with automatic serious violent offence declaration) is within the appropriate range for maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16 over six years involving frequent unprotected intercourse, provision of alcohol, and a victim aged from 10 years.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 8 later cases that cite this judgment.