THE MOTHER of a girl who was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a predatory older man said he ‘deserved a life sentence’.
Jailing him for almost seven years at Oxford Crown Court, Judge Maria Lamb told Kevin Purdy: “One can understand the sentiments.”
Keeping his head bowed in the dock, the 66-year-old was told he would serve two-thirds of the six years and four months’ he received for sexually assaulting the primary school-aged girl before he was eligible for release. A seven-month sentence, imposed for repeatedly groping another girl in her early teens, would be served first.
Following his release, he will spend an extended year being supervised by the probation service on licence as a ‘sexual offender of particular concern’. He will remain on the sex offender register for life.
Judge Lamb told the defendant on Thursday: “The damage you have caused has been well and truly illustrated by the distress which was demonstrated by [the first victim’s mother] and by [the second victim] herself. Both of them read victim personal statements to this court.
“One can quite understand why it is that [the first victim’s] mother would say you deserve a life sentence. One can understand the sentiments.
“My duty is to impose a sentence which is consistent with what you have done and consistent with the guidelines that apply to these sorts of cases. I make that plain.”
Purdy’s first victim was just eight years old when he repeatedly touched her while reading her children’s tales.
“You did it, I am quite satisfied, under the pretext of reading her a story. It must have looked like this was innocent and blameless behaviour on your part. But sexually assault her you did – and repeatedly,” Judge Lamb said.
“You touched her [sexually] while you were reading her stories. She asked you to stop, but you ignored her.”
His second victim was older, in her early teens when the abuse was carried out. Purdy groped her bottom on ‘at least five occasions’.
She had asked him to stop but, as with his first victim, he ignored her.
The court heard that Purdy had been struggling with mental health problems at the time. He had approached his GP and NHS service Talking Space.
His partner was standing by him and was likely to lose her job in a primary school as a result of not providing evidence to support the prosecution, defence barrister Jose Olivares-Chandler said.
Mr Olivares-Chandler added of his client: “ He has spent the last three weeks remanded into custody, providing him with a short sharp shock to ensure he never reoffends.”
Purdy, of Lechlade Road, Faringdon, pleaded guilty in August to three counts of sexually assaulting a girl under-13 and one charge of sexual assault on a female. He had no previous convictions.
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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.
To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk
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