Pair who raped girl as teens jailed 40 years on

Anthony Douglas was jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of rape

Two men who raped a young girl and sexually abused a boy 40 years ago have been jailed.

Neill Willis, 57, and Anthony Douglas, 58, finally faced justice for their 1980s offending after one of their victims reported them to police in 2019, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

When teenagers, the pair jointly raped and molested a primary-school-age girl and sexually abused a boy, while Willis also assaulted two other children, the court heard.

Willis, who admitted multiple sexual offences and was found guilty of others, including rape, was jailed for 13 years. Douglas, who was convicted by jurors, was jailed for 16 years with a one-year extended licence.

The two rapists were living in Peterlee, County Durham, at the time of the abuse, with Willis, formerly known as Neil Blenkinsop, aged between 14 and 17 and Douglas aged 19 to 20, the court heard.

They were both found guilty of indecent assault and rape against a girl, with Douglas, now of Hartlepool, also convicted of three further counts of rape in relation to the same victim.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said the pair had "destroyed" her life, adding: "No child should ever have to live through what they did."

She said she still thought about the abuse daily but there had now been some justice and she hoped the two men would feel as scared "every day" as their victims had been.

Police find victims

Willis, now of Ealing in Greater London, was also found guilty of assaulting a boy, a crime which today would be classed as rape, and Douglas was convicted of indecency with a child relating to the same victim.

Willis had admitted crimes including indecent assault against a third victim, but was found guilty of offences including indecency with a child against a fourth.

One of the victims reported what had happened in 2019, with police then tracking down the others, all of whom had thought they were the only ones to be abused, the court heard.

Judge Robert Adams said he had to sentence the two men according to the rules in place for their ages at the time of the offending.

Both men will also have to sign the sex offenders register for life.