Paedophile pensioner Robert Garrity jailed for raping and sexually abusing young girls

A “perverted” pensioner has been jailed for 24 years at Preston Crown Court after being convicted of a series of sexual offences against young girls.

Robert Garrity was described by a judge as a “highly determined sexual predator” when he appeared for sentence following a trial.

The 67-year-old had been found guilty of three offences of rape and three more of sexual activity with children under the age of 16.

Judge Ian Unsworth ordered that he should serve at least 16 years – allowing him a statutory one third off - making him 83 before he is eligible to apply for parole.

But he warned him he may have to serve the whole of his 24-year sentence if the Parole Board considers in 2039 he is still a danger to the public.

“Chilling lack of empathy”

Garrity showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down and he was taken to the cells.

The judge said Garrity was a “highly manipulative individual” who still had sexual interests in underage girls and had a “chilling lack of empathy” for his victims.

The court heard that Garrity, who was living in Brandy House Brow, Blackburn at the time of his offences, had groomed two schoolgirls before committing depraved sex acts on them in his own home. On some of the occasions they were wearing their school uniforms when he assaulted them.

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The trial had heard that one of the girls was probably raped multiple times over a period of about a year. The other girl had been subjected to a catalogue of serious sexual assaults.

Both youngsters had, said the judge, suffered “severe psychiatric harm” at the hands of Garrity. Due to his not guilty pleas both had been forced to give evidence at his trial.

“You are a paedophile with a perverted sexual interest in young females,” Judge Unsworth told him.

“You acted upon your desires by grooming them and (then) wreaked devastation upon them and those who love them.

“At (your) trial you sought to blame them. You have no insight, no shame, not a flicker of sympathy for the devastation you have caused.”

The court was told one of the girls told police she felt “dirty and disgusted” when Garrity assaulted her and said she “wanted to bleach herself when she got home.”

After each sexual assault Garrity was said to have given the girls money not to tell anyone. He would leave the cash – between £20 and £90 - on the top of the fridge for them to take with them when they left his house.

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“Not a shred of remorse”

On one occasion one of the girls said he stuffed £40 down her bra as she hurriedly tried to button up her school blouse.

It was estimated, said the judge, that the assaults took place at the rate of around one a week.

Garrity sat impassively as Judge Unsworth told him: “You have shown not a shred of remorse. You are in hopeless denial.

“Your age is a matter I must bear in mind (in sentencing). And you have no (previous) sexual offences on your record. So I have made such allowances as I can.”

He sentenced Garrity to a maximum of 24 years, meaning he would be aged 91 if the Parole Board denied him early release and he had to serve the whole of his sentence.