14/08/2025
Cookstown Man Jailed For 13 Years For Child Abuse
A 31-year-old man from Cookstown has been sentenced to 13 years in custody for a number of child sexual abuse offences.
The offences, which occurred between 2017 and September 2021, included sexual assault of a child under 13, common assault, rape of a child under 13, and possessing an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child.
Named by the PSNI as Jason Harkness, he has also been given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for an indefinite period and was permanently disqualified from working with children.
Detective Sergeant Mallon said: "To take a child's innocence away from them in such an abhorrent way is sickening. Our thoughts are with the victim today, who was only six years old when these offences began."
The Detective Sergeant also praised the bravery of the victim and urged anyone who has experienced or witnessed any form of sexual abuse to contact police.
The sentencing took place at Laganside Crown Court on Wednesday, 13 August.
The offences, which occurred between 2017 and September 2021, included sexual assault of a child under 13, common assault, rape of a child under 13, and possessing an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child.
Detective Sergeant Mallon said: "To take a child's innocence away from them in such an abhorrent way is sickening. Our thoughts are with the victim today, who was only six years old when these offences began."
The Detective Sergeant also praised the bravery of the victim and urged anyone who has experienced or witnessed any form of sexual abuse to contact police.
The sentencing took place at Laganside Crown Court on Wednesday, 13 August.
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