Convicted Paedophile Given 20-year Sentence for Sexually Abusing Teenage Boys

Published on: 13 Dec, 2024
Updated on: 13 Dec, 2024

Guildford Crown Court

A convicted paedophile who sexually abused three boys at his home has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment today. He is already serving a prison sentence of eight years, having been convicted in 2021 of other sexual offences.

Today, at Guildford Crown Court, Christopher Coleman, 63, was convicted of rape, eight counts of indecent assault against a male person and two counts of causing a person to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard how Coleman invited the victims to his flat in Milford, offering them alcohol and cannabis, before assaulting them, sometimes while they were asleep.

He groomed the victims – buying them tickets to music festivals as a way of persuading them to let him sexually assault them and would ask them for sexual favours for letting them stay in his flat.

The offences took place between 1999 and 2006 when the victims were aged between 12 and 16. Before the attacks started, the victims described going to his flat as a “refuge” and regarded Coleman as a “cool parent”.

Francesca Baynham from the CPS said: “The assaults that Coleman carried out on these victims were utterly appalling and had a hugely traumatic impact. They all looked up to him and respected him and he took full advantage of that.

“Coleman was in a position of power and authority and knew that. One of the victims described how the abuse he suffered was the ‘most horrific experience’ he had ever been through, while another talked about sobbing for the remainder of the night after being attacked.

“I would like to commend the victims in this case for talking about what happened to them. It is because of their evidence that the prosecution was able to help bring this prolific sex offender to justice.”