One of the victims bravely reached out to a local mental health support services team in 2021, where they disclosed the abuse that they had suffered several years earlier at the hands of Keith Lynch.
Police were swiftly contacted and an investigation was launched by Stanley safeguarding team.
During enquires, it was discovered Lynch groomed and sexually abused the victims, who were children at the time.
The 47-year-old also took indecent photographs and then saved the images to a device.
He appeared at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday morning (March 7) where he was sentenced for sexual assault, indecent assault, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, indecent images, voyeurism and making indecent images of children.
Lynch, of no fixed abode, was jailed for a total of 13 years and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), a 10-year restraining order and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Sentencing Lynch, Judge Jo Kidd said: “Your sexual interest in children is embedded and you’ve taken each and every opportunity when you have been alone with children to sexually abuse and groom them.”
His co-accused, Mark Smith, of Burnopfield was also sentenced for four counts of sexual activity with a child. The offences involved one of the children that Lynch had also abused and he had pleaded guilty to the charges.
The 39-year-old received a two-year prison sentence and was also made subject to a SHPO, 10-year restraining order and placed on the sex offender’s register for 10 years.
Lead investigator, Detective Constable Hanna Liddle from the West Safeguarding team said: “I hope these convictions will give the victims some closure and allow them to let go of the pain that they have been holding onto for so long.
“Both Lynch and Smith abused their positions and took advantage of the children, leaving them both with mental and physical trauma.
“I hope Lynch and Smith now understand the impact and emotional damage that they have inflicted on the victims and spend time in prison reflecting on this.”
