Abuser given four year term

A man who sexually abused an 11-year-old boy three decades ago has been jailed for four years. David Curry, of Milltown View, Drumahoe, was convicted of nine charges of indecent assault and three of gross indecency after a trial in the city.

The offences were committed between 1980 -81, when the injured party was between 11 and 12 years old . The court heard that Curry, now 51, used to buy the boy sweets and they became friends. He took the victim to a breakers yard which he had the keys for.

He began to abuse the boy in what was once a snooker hall there, by touching his groin over his clothes. It then progressed in seriousness and involved oral sex and simulated sex. Curry also took the boy to his home and abused him in his bedroom. The abuse would take place two or three times a week.

The injured party said he went to police because he couldn’t live with the abuse anymore. Curry denied all the offences and continues to deny abusing the victim. It was revealed the injured party has been badly affected by the abuse and will need to have further counselling.

The court also heard that the convictions had an impact on Curry, a man with no previous convictions, and his house and his car were damaged. Judge Philip Babington said Curry had ‘befriended and groomed the complainant to win his trust and abused him for your own gratuitous pleasure. ‘One can only hope the injured party will improve with help over time’.

He said the age difference between the complainant and defendant, the length of time the abuse took place and the element of grooming were aggravating factors in the case as was the nature of the abuse and the harm caused to the victim. Curry was jailed for four years , will also spend two years on probation and will have to participate in the community sex offenders programme.

He will also sign the sex offenders register indefinitely be subjected to a sexual offences prevention order for five years which prohibits Curry having any contact with children under 16 without approval and banned from contacting his victim. The judge said the conditions are ‘necessary to protect the young people, from harm’. Curry will also be disqualified from working with children and vulnerable adults.