A man has been jailed for 19 years for raping an Attleborough teenager on three occasions.
Lee Begbie, 71, of Fryup, in Whitby, appeared before Teesside Crown Court yesterday after previously being found guilty following a week-long trial.
The sentencing follows a series of incidents between January and October of 2003 in the town, when Begbie raped a teenage boy on three occasions after befriending him in a shop.
Begbie invited the child to his home address under the pretence of looking at his car and proceeded to sexually assault him.
The victim reported the offences in 2019 which prompted a police investigation.
Begbie was charged on May 13, 2021, with three counts of a serious sexual assault with a child under the age of 16.
In the victim’s personal statement, he described how it had impacted his life, saying: “I distinctly remember feeling very numb and scared at the time and the years that followed. I got to the point before I came forward, that I had planned how I was going to end my life.
“The offences committed against me, directly led to me being unable to deal with the emotions, which ultimately led to my marriage failing. I missed a lot of my own children growing up, due to being emotionally unavailable for them and not being able to support them as much as I would want to.”
Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Matt Hendry praised the victim for his bravery in giving evidence and helping to protect the public from a dangerous offender.
“This sentence goes some way to reflect the gravity and seriousness of Begbie’s offending and the significant impact it has had on the victim and his wider family,” he said.
“I hope that this sentence assists with his ongoing recovery and moving forward with what has happened.”
Advice and information about reporting rape or sexual assault is available here. Victims of sexual offences who live in Norfolk can contact the Harbour Centre for free, 24/7 support on 01603 276381.
