A MAN who carried out a campaign of sexual abuse against a child has had his jail sentence increased after the case was referred to the Court of Appeal by the solicitor general.
Simon Berry, now 34, sexually abused and raped a child over a seven-year period. The victim was aged between seven and 15 over the course of the abuse.
Berry groomed a child in his local community, who was aged under ten.
Having gained the boy's trust, Berry, of Whitehawk Road, Brighton, who was in his early 20s at the time, systematically assaulted him for nearly ten years.
On March 24 this year at Southwark Crown Court, Berry was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment with an extended licence period of two years for offences including rape of a child under 13, sexual assault of a child under 13 and sexual activity with a child.
Berry was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order.
At the time of his original sentencing, Detective Constable Stewart Cameron, of the Brighton and Hove safeguarding investigation unit, said Berry denied all wrongdoing, which meant that the victim, now in his 20s, had to give evidence at court.
Det Con Cameron said his evidence was “pivotal” in securing Berry's convictions.
"He has now faced justice at last, another example of the way in which we can successfully investigate such predatory offenders and safeguard local communities,” he said.
However, Alex Chalk QC MP, the solicitor general, decided to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme because he believed it did not reflect the severity of offences committed.
On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal found Berry’s original sentence to be unduly lenient and imposed a new sentence of 18 years’ imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years.
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Chalk said: “Simon Berry committed horrific sexual offences against a child, including rape.
“I welcome the decision of the court to impose a lengthier sentence, which correctly reflects the gravity of Berry’s offending while sending the message that child sex abusers can expect to go to prison for a long time.”
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