‘Vile’ paedophile jailed for 22 years – for 86 sex offences against children
A serial paedophile who carried out ‘vile’ attacks on children as young as four has been jailed for 22 years.
Jessica Brennan, a trans woman from Harrogate, groomed and sexually assaulted four children over a 17-year period from 1998 to 2016.
Brennan, who was known as Allan Brennan when carrying out the abuse, targeted children she knew. Her youngest victim was just 4 years old.
York Crown Court heard how Brennan groomed her victims. One child had been subjected to a campaign of sexual abuse over a ten-year period; Brennan tried to rape another.
One victim reported the abuse to police in 2000, but no charges were brought. Prosecutor Philip Standfast said Brennan had carried out no fewer than 86 separate sexual assaults on young girls.
Brennan, of Bowland Close, Harrogate, was finally charged when another victim came forward to police in 2017, after the paedophile had transitioned and the abuse had stopped. Facing 16 separate offences – including the attempted rape of a girl under 13, and assault by penetration – Brennan claimed she had no memory past two years ago.
She was found guilty by a jury earlier this year, though some of the allegations of sexual abuse were ’severed’ and three not-guilty verdicts were recorded.
Victims speak out
The victims described the devastating impact Brennan, who has two children of her own, has had on their lives:
One said, “I am unable to have a sexual relationship. I’d love to have a child one day though now this would never happen unless I adopted.
“I have very low self esteem and am always questioning myself. The image of me telling the police what happened is constantly on my mind and the heartbreak of my parents finding out.”
Another said: “I feel worthless, I spend the majority of my time in my room. I can’t face my family. My parents are angry and guilty as they don’t think they’ve done their job right but they have.”
Another said she was sexually abused by Brennan when she was just four years old and that her mum “has struggled watching her daughter wanting to die”.
‘You are a dangerous offender’
Judge Simon Hickey told Brennan, who appeared on a live link from HMP Hull: “Not only does your offending span 17 years, it involves 86 separate assaults on four victims.
“You are a dangerous offender. There is a risk of you causing (further) serious harm to young females.”
Sitting in a white cardigan with her long hair loose, Brennan didn’t react as she was jailed for 22 years.
The prolific paedophile will serve half the prison term behind bars. Judge Hickey also imposed a four year extended period of prison licence to start on Brennan’s release.
Brennan was handed a sexual harm prevention order limiting her with children for an indefinite period.
Detective Constable Rebecca Prentice of North Yorkshire Police’s Harrogate & Craven CID said: “The victims in this case, and their families, have had their lives shattered by this vile and dangerous paedophile.
“But they have shown incredible bravery coming forward, some after 20 years, and their courage has ensured that Brennan has been put behind bars where she belongs for a very long time.
“I hope that they can now begin to rebuild their lives with the knowledge that justice has been done.”