Man who sexually assaulted girl from North Wales jailed for 19 years

A man has been jailed for 19 years after he was found guilty of sexual offences against two children, including a historic offence against a child from North Wales.

Melvyn Richardson, 68, formerly of Ulley Crescent, Intake, Sheffield, was interviewed by officers in February 2020 after two victims reported they had previously been sexually abused by him.

One of the victims, from Llanrwst, reported being abused in in the late 2000s, with the second victim reported to have been abused in 2018.

During Richardson’s interview, he insisted he had not sexually assaulted the girls and was instead trying to “educate” them.

Following a joint investigation led by North Wales Police DC Delyth Jones and South Yorkshire Police DC Carla Davey, Richardson was charged with two counts of indecent assault, one count of indecency with a child, two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13, one count of causing and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of cruelty to a person under 16.

He was unanimously found guilty following a nine-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court of all offences.

On Friday (20 January), Richardson was sentenced to 19 years in prison.

One of the victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said in a statement: “I would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved in securing a conviction against Richardson.

“The resulting sentence of 19 years demonstrates the seriousness of his offences towards me, and the other victim and I am happy justice has prevailed.

“I will forever be grateful for the hard work and dedication of both police forces to put this man behind bars.”

South Yorkshire Police DC Carla Davey, who led the investigation, said: “I would like to commend both victims for their bravery and patience throughout this investigation. Their courage and strength have been acknowledged by all officers in involved.

“The passage of time should be no bar to victims of serious crime receiving the justice they deserve, nor should it be a veil for offenders to hide behind.

“Victims must be assured that they will be listened to, and their allegations fully investigated, and this is a prime example of our determination to ensure the people of South Yorkshire can have confidence in us.

“I would also like to thank North Wales Police for their continuous support over the last four years.”