Adoptive siblings jailed for abusing three girls

Darren Gibson and Rebecca Kirton were found guilty by a jury last month

Two adoptive siblings who were found guilty of jointly sexually abusing three girls have been jailed.

Darren Gibson, 54, and Rebecca Kirton, 39, denied a range of sexual offences against their victims in the early 2000s, but were found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court in September.

Sentencing them at the same court on Friday, Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said the pair had "taken the innocence" of the girls, one of whom was just 10 years old when the abuse began.

Gibson, who met two of the girls when they attended discos at which he was a DJ, was jailed for 24 years, while Kirton, who was training to be a mental health nurse when she was arrested, received a 12-year prison sentence.

In total, Gibson was convicted of 17 counts, including rape and sexual assault relating to all three victims.

Kirton was convicted of four charges relating to the first victim, who was abused over a six-year period between the ages of 10 and 16.

The other victims, who were 14 when Gibson targeted them in Leeds, met him when he was DJing at family functions and children's parties at a sports and social club in the city which has since closed.

The court heard that Gibson and Kirton had themselves been involved in a sexual relationship together, despite Gibson's adoptive mother having been Kirton's foster carer.

The siblings lived together in Armley at the time of the offending and were still at the same address when they were arrested.

Gibson and Kirton were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Friday

The court was told that one girl, known as Victim A, met the pair when she befriended Gibson's son at primary school.

She was then often invited to the house where she was abused by Gibson and Kirton.

The girl was 13 when Gibson raped her for the first time on a family holiday abroad, to which he had been invited because her parents trusted him, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Judge Khokhar said Kirton had invited the victim for a "girlie night" at the house, despite knowing of her brother's sexual interest in her.

The second victim, known as Victim B, was raped at the same property after meeting Gibson at a function at the social club, following which he "plied" her with alcohol.

The girl, who was not from the Leeds area but who visited the social club with her family, was contacted by Gibson, then aged 33, and he persuaded her to visit him despite her aunt warning him she was only 14.

The court heard Kirton was in the car when the girl was collected and she was allowed to leave the house only after her concerned parents had phoned the club's owners.

Meanwhile, the court was told that the third girl, known as Victim C, was sexually assaulted after approaching Gibson's DJ booth at the venue, where he had grabbed the teenager, pulled her behind a curtain and kissed her neck.

All three victims said the abuse had had a significant impact on their lives many years later.

'Groomed and manipulated'

In mitigation, both defendants' counsels told the court their clients had experienced "troubled upbringings".

Kirton had no previous convictions, but Gibson had served prison time for violent offences.

Kirton was said to have been acting as a "mentor" while on remand in prison and she hoped to use her mental health training to help other inmates, the court heard.

Sentencing them, Judge Khokhar told the pair they had "jointly abused" their victims.

"Victim A was groomed and manipulated. She didn't think anyone would believe her. Gibson got close to her family and you were obsessed with her - her name was your password," he said.

Judge Khokhar added that Kirton had shown "no reluctance" to participate in the abuse.

Gibson and Kirton will serve at least two-thirds of their sentences before being eligible for parole, and will have to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

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