A man from Cheltenham, Craig Sykes, has received a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting two young boys.
Craig Sykes, a 46-year-old inhabitant of Cromwell Road, Oakley, faced allegations of multiple grave offences against minors, including the sexual assault of a child under 13, inducing a child to partake in sexual activity, oral rape of a child, indecent assault of a 13-year-old, and child cruelty through the wilful assault of a boy from 1995 to 2005.
Notwithstanding his denial of the claims, he was found guilty by a jury on six counts last month. After a five-day trial, two additional counts were dismissed.
Detective Constable James Coll said: “This has been an emotional case and this sentence shows that we will not stand for the despicable crimes against children that Craig Sykes committed.
“I would like to commend the victims for the courage and strength they have shown throughout this case. Their bravery in coming forward and seeing this through has helped put Craig Sykes behind bars for a long time.
“We would encourage anyone that has been subject to sexual violence and rape to come forward, no matter how long ago it had happened, as Gloucestershire Constabulary will continually work tirelessly to ensure that victims of sexual offences are heard.
“Under UK law, victims of rape and sexual assault are granted full anonymity. We ask that no comments are made which would identify the victims in this case.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 111 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.