Sheffield man jailed for 31 years for child sexual abuse

Paul Andrew Degenhart appeared at Sheffield Crown Court where he was sentenced to 31 years in prison, plus a further three years on licence.

Degenhart abused four children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Sheffield in the 1980s and 1990s.

Speaking after the sentencing, lead investigating officer Detective Constable Helen Barrett said: “Today marks the culmination of a lengthy and complex investigation into the grooming and sexual abuse of children by Degenhart.

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“I wish to echo my comments made at Degenhart’s conviction about the bravery of each of the victims. The courage, strength and dignity they have shown throughout our inquiry and the subsequent trial and now, today’s hearing, is commendable.

“I truly hope that with the sentence handed down today, each of them are able to begin to move forwards in their journey towards recovery, knowing that the individual who committed horrific crimes against them is behind bars for a considerable period of time.

“I also hope that news of this case sends a message to anyone who may be suffering or who have suffered child sexual abuse and feel unable to tell police about it, that we will thoroughly investigate any reports of this nature – whether the abuse is happening now or if it happened in the past.

“Please, if you have concerns, report them to police or someone you trust. There are lots of support agencies and charities available who can also help and provide a safe space to talk.”

Degenhart, formerly of Raeburn Road, Sheffield, was found guilty of 33 child sexual offences following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in October 2020. He was found guilty of 20 counts of indecent assault, six counts of indecency with a child, four counts of rape, two counts of buggery and one count of attempted rape.

If you have concerns, you can call police on 101. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000, and if you’re under 18 you can contact Childline on 0800 1111. The national helpline Say Something is also available – you can call or text 116 00

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