A retired police sergeant has been jailed for raping and sexually abusing two children while he was an officer serving in Lancashire and Merseyside.

Jeffrey Lake, 78, was extradited from his home in Australia to stand trial for the offences.

He was convicted at Preston Crown Court of 20 charges of historical child abuse, including rape and serious sexual assaults.

Lake, who had denied all the charges, was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

During the trial, the court heard the victims were subjected to "quite appalling abuse" between 1960 and 1974, when Lake was an officer in Accrington and Liverpool.
'Despicable offences'

Sentencing him, Mr Justice King said each offence was a "serious example" of sexual and physical abuse committed in a sustained way.

He said the victims had been deprived of achieving their full potential in adulthood as a consequence.

"Each has suffered from deep depression over the years. Each has felt suicidal and attempted suicide," he said.

"I have no doubt that the major cause of all their lifelong problems is the abuse each suffered at your hands."

He added that Lake had shown "no remorse" for the "deep and long-lasting" effects he had caused.

Lake, who retired in 1990, emigrated to Australia in 2002.

The first victim made the complaint to police in December 2009.

He was living in Peregian Springs on Queensland's Sunshine Coast when he was extradited in March.

After the sentencing hearing, the Crown Prosecution Service North West's Emma Kehoe said the abuse had been "horrific".

"These crimes began more than 50 years ago and they have had a devastating impact ever since on the lives of the victims.

"This case demonstrates that the passage of time is not a barrier to justice."

Lancashire Constabulary's Ch Supt Bob Eastwood said the "despicable offences committed against two young children [were] made all the more sinister by Lake's insistence of innocence and his attempts to persuade the jury the victims had invented the abuse".

pommie wrote:
A retired police sergeant has been jailed for raping and sexually abusing two children while he was an officer serving in Lancashire and Merseyside.

Jeffrey Lake, 78, was extradited from his home in Australia to stand trial for the offences.

He was convicted at Preston Crown Court of 20 charges of historical child abuse, including rape and serious sexual assaults.

Lake, who had denied all the charges, was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

During the trial, the court heard the victims were subjected to "quite appalling abuse" between 1960 and 1974, when Lake was an officer in Accrington and Liverpool.
'Despicable offences'

Sentencing him, Mr Justice King said each offence was a "serious example" of sexual and physical abuse committed in a sustained way.

He said the victims had been deprived of achieving their full potential in adulthood as a consequence.

"Each has suffered from deep depression over the years. Each has felt suicidal and attempted suicide," he said.

"I have no doubt that the major cause of all their lifelong problems is the abuse each suffered at your hands."

He added that Lake had shown "no remorse" for the "deep and long-lasting" effects he had caused.

Lake, who retired in 1990, emigrated to Australia in 2002.

The first victim made the complaint to police in December 2009.

He was living in Peregian Springs on Queensland's Sunshine Coast when he was extradited in March.

After the sentencing hearing, the Crown Prosecution Service North West's Emma Kehoe said the abuse had been "horrific".

"These crimes began more than 50 years ago and they have had a devastating impact ever since on the lives of the victims.

"This case demonstrates that the passage of time is not a barrier to justice."

Lancashire Constabulary's Ch Supt Bob Eastwood said the "despicable offences committed against two young children [were] made all the more sinister by Lake's insistence of innocence and his attempts to persuade the jury the victims had invented the abuse".


How on earth can the judge say that "all" of their problems in life are because of the abuse? He cant possibly know that, and it seems a daft assumption when most victims put it behind them and get on with their lives.
Child abuse is horrific enough without stupid comments like these that make victims feel their lives are bound to be ruined.

How on earth can the judge say that "all" of their problems in life are because of the abuse?

The Judge was there, and listened to what happened to the victims!

and it seems a daft assumption when most victims put it behind them and get on with their lives.

Where do you glean this information? Most victims live with abuse for life!

Child abuse is horrific enough without stupid comments like these that make victims feel their lives are bound to be ruined.

How would you know how horrific it is, without knowing what it is?
Victims don't have the luxury of knowing what their lives would have been like,
without abuse.

Like most abusers, there will be more to come forward, and maybe he will be given life.
Just as he has taken their lives, and their innocence, for his own sexual gratification.

Oh yes, Pommie, I think everyone on here agrees that genuine abuse must be stopped and I'm sure you will agree with us that, sadly, not all convictions are safe or correct. Some are. Some aren't.

You'll probably agree that your statement "The Judge was there, and listened to what happened to the victims!" should have read "The Judge was in the court and heard what the victims claimed had happened"... unless you think that victims are never confused or exaggerate or invent incidents or are deluded, but have accurate memories. Some do, some don't. You surely don't mean that the Judge was there when the alleged abuse took place?

The point being made is that false accusers do more damage to the genuinely abused than almost anyone and that believing and quoting extremes is not helpful.

well maybe sexual abuse does cause all these problems...but wouldn't it depend upon the actual abuse and the personality of the person ?

numerous tales are told in court that the 'victim' actually enjoyed the act and went back for more- or knew there would be more- but then when they got older decided or realised it was 'abuse'.

It's an odd situation : if someone is a crack ridden whore and layabout who steal cars and belts old ladies society condemns then- indeed if they live in social housing ITK will be around shorty to read the riot act....but if they say they were abused as a child society will wring it's hands and proclaim..'poor cow'.

Or is the fact that the media, politicians and ignorant creepy cops announce endlessly that " the victim's life is rooned "...so the message to all future genuine victims- adults or tiny child- told to you over and over and over by fucking tossers who could not possibly know :

if you are the victim of a horrible rape in the future-your life will be ruined for all time with no chance of recovery or a normal life !

and that is the truth of what our evil society tells victims !!

(rant ends here)

pommie wrote:
How on earth can the judge say that "all" of their problems in life are because of the abuse?

The Judge was there, and listened to what happened to the victims!

and it seems a daft assumption when most victims put it behind them and get on with their lives.

Where do you glean this information? Most victims live with abuse for life!

Child abuse is horrific enough without stupid comments like these that make victims feel their lives are bound to be ruined.

How would you know how horrific it is, without knowing what it is?
Victims don't have the luxury of knowing what their lives would have been like,
without abuse.

Like most abusers, there will be more to come forward, and maybe he will be given life.
Just as he has taken their lives, and their innocence, for his own sexual gratification.


I should have made it clear in my post that I was referring to comments like this in general (often from judges) and not this man specifically. I apologise for that.
We all have different views shaped by our experiences and it is good to hear opposing arguments.


"Victims don't have the luxury of knowing what their lives would have been like,
without abuse"

Neither do judges.


"How would you know how horrific it is, without knowing what it is?"

I have never met anyone who was abused as a child that did not find it horrific, either at the time or later on. Have you?


"Where do you glean this information? Most victims live with abuse for life!"

I work with people who have been abused and although the effect of abuse is devastating, people can and do recover fully, and (those who I speak to) are insulted by the suggestion that they can never have a normal life, and feel that it encourages people to see them as "damaged goods"
The crime is the same, regardless of the effect.


"Just as he has taken their lives, and their innocence"

I hope that with better understanding,and better treatment more people will recover fully and not let it damage their lives.