Neil Cawton Rotherham: 'Calculating' paedophile plied young girls with booze & cigarettes to gain their trust

A 'calculating' Rotherham paedophile has been jailed for a decade, after he was found guilty of a catalogue of historic sex offences.

Today, Thursday, November 23, jurors convicted 68-year-old Neil Cawton of a series of offences, including engaging in sexual activity with a child, indecent assault and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

During the course of the trial, Sheffield Crown Court heard how Cawton abused four girls aged between 13 and 16-years-old, during a series of incidents carried out between 2006 and 2012.

Cawton would buy the girls cigarettes and alcohol from a local shop in Rotherham, inviting them back to his home where the abuse and sexual assaults would take place, the court heard.

Following the verdicts, he was sentenced to a total of ten years in prison and will need to serve a minimum of six years before being considered for parole.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders' register for life.

Speaking after Cawton was jailed, NCA Senior Investigating Officer Andy Sandham said: “Neil Cawton took advantage of these young and vulnerable teenagers, plying them with alcohol and cigarettes in a bid to get their trust.

“He tried to pretend he was their friend. He was not, he was their abuser.

“I’d like to pay tribute to those victims who were brave enough to come forward and tell their stories.

“Working with our partners in South Yorkshire we are determined to do all we can to support victims like them and bring offenders to justice.”

Sam Thompson, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS, added: “Neil Cawton was calculating in his approach, luring young girls into his home with cigarettes and alcohol so that he could prey on them. Once he had gained their trust, he subjected them to degrading abuse for his own gratification.

“Child sexual abuse is a traumatising and life-changing crime, and I would like to commend the victims in this case for coming forward and reporting what happened to them. It is because of their evidence that we were able to secure a conviction and bring Cawton to justice.

“I hope this conviction sends a clear message that the CPS will relentlessly pursue justice and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, whenever that abuse took place. I encourage any victims of sexual abuse to report it to the police. It is never too late to seek justice.”

Cawton was convicted as part of the National Crime Agency's Operation Stovewood, the single largest law enforcement operation of its kind ever undertaken in the UK, looking at non-familial child sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

Anyone who believes that they were a victim or with information that might assist investigations, can email [email protected] or contact the NCA Control Centre on 0370 496 7622 quoting Operation Stovewood.