Man raped woman during child abuse investigation

Aidn Cowen, from County Durham, was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court

A man who raped a woman while under investigation for sexually abusing two boys has been jailed for almost 18 years.

Aidn Cowen, 23, was a teenager when he sexually assaulted a nine-year-old boy and raped a boy as young as six, threatening both with violence, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Having been arrested and released on bail for those offences, Cowen, from Annfield Plain in County Durham, raped a 20-year-old woman, the court heard.

He was found guilty of eight offences against the boys and admitted raping the woman, with Judge Penny Moreland describing him as an "offender of particular concern".

Cowen was 16 or 17 when he attacked his first victim, a nine-year-old boy, sexually assaulting him and threatening to "hurt" the child if he did not comply, prosecutor Joe Culley said.

The rapist was between 18 and 19 when he targeted his second victim, a boy aged as young as six at the time, who he raped and then threatened to slap if he did not keep it a secret, the court heard.

While under investigation for those offences, Cowen, who was 20 at the time, raped a woman, ignoring her pleas to stop, Mr Culley said.

'Serious psychological harm'

In a statement read to the court, Cowen's first victim said he had been "completely overwhelmed both physically and mentally" by the abuse.

The youth said he was fighting an internal battle every day and started self-harming to use pain as a distraction from his thoughts, the court heard.

Judge Moreland said Cowen had caused "serious psychological harm" and was "an offender of particular concern".

Cowen, who was jailed for 17 years and eight months, will have to serve a further two years on extended licence upon his release from prison, sign the sex offender register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order for life.