A man has been sentenced to jail after plying a 15-year-old girl with alcohol before sexually assaulting her. Colin Shaw, 51, provided the young victim with multiple cans of beer before engaging in inappropriate touching and attacking her inside his home in Rotherham.
The incident left the teenage girl traumatised, and the following morning, Shaw encouraged her to remain silent and downplay the assault. Detective Constable Charlotte Adamson from the Major Crime Unit expressed her outrage, stating that Shaw took advantage of his young victim by subjecting her to a sickening assault after intoxicating her with alcohol.
To compound the situation, Shaw then urged the girl to minimise the severity of the assault, before once again engaging in inappropriate touching. DC Adamson commended the victim for her bravery in reporting the incident, acknowledging the fear and trauma she must have endured. She hopes that the imprisonment of Shaw will offer some solace to the victim and her family.
Shaw, who was previously from the Worksop area, was found guilty of one count of sexual assault and not guilty of another following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court. On December 22, 2023, he was sentenced to three years and four months in prison and will be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.
DC Adamson emphasised that the authorities will continue to pursue individuals like Shaw who prey on and sexually assault underage children. She encouraged any victims of sexual assault to come forward, assuring them that they will be heard, and supported, and together, justice can be sought to ensure that dangerous individuals are held accountable and removed from society.
