A man has been found guilty of sexual offences against children in Rawtenstall.
22-year-old Joseph Turner was found guilty of sexual offences against two girls and two boys, which predominantly took place after he lured them to the woods in Rawtenstall.
The first victim was 14 and Turner was 20 when he groomed her into thinking they were in a relationship. During that period, he raped her while she as unconscious, sexually assaulted her, physically assaulted her, strangled her with a belt, threatened her with knives and was verbally abusive towards her. He would call her his wife and even got her a ring.
The second victim was 16 when Turner lured her to his flat in Rawtenstall before going on to rape her. He also sexually assaulted her at a cemetery.
The two male victims were just nine years old when Turner took them to the woods before sexually assaulting them.
Turner, of Linden Lea, Rawtenstall, was arrested and later charged with a number of offences.
Following a trial at Burnley Crown Court, he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault on a child; two counts of sexual activity with a child; four counts of raping a female under the age of 16; one rape of a female over 16; two counts of intentional strangulation and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He was remanded into custody to be sentenced at the same court on 6th June.
DS Sarah Hargreaves, of the East Child Sexual Exploitation Team, said: “Turner is a dangerous individual who poses a risk to children by his perverted sexual interests and warped sense of entitlement.
“I welcome these verdicts which came as a result of the bravery of the victims first of all in coming forward and telling us what Turner did to them and then reliving those awful experiences while giving evidence during the trial.
“I want to take this opportunity to praise the investigation team - DC’s Jenny Berry, Alex Biggs and Liam Morris - who worked diligently and patiently to gather all the evidence that led to the conviction after trial.”
If you or somebody you know has been the victim of a sexual offence, report it online via https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/ or call 101. If a crime is in progress always call 999.
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