Child rapist jailed for abuse spanning 10 years

News imageWest Mercia Police Mugshot of Luke Simon wearing a grey jumper. He has short hair and a stubbleWest Mercia Police
Luke Simon was sentenced to 27 years in prison

A man who raped and sexually abused children has been jailed for 27 years.

Luke Simon, from Redditch, was convicted of two counts of rape of a child under 12 and 20 sexual assaults on children under the age of 13 over the past decade.

The 42-year-old's offences came to light in 2023, West Mercia Police said, and involved more than one child.

At a hearing at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday, Simon was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and a restraining order was also put in place.

Det Sgt Izabela Majchrzyk paid tribute to the survivors of Simon's "predatory actions" and commended their courage in coming forward and proving evidence.

She said the force hoped the sentence would "help them to move on with their lives and that it encourages other survivors of sexual abuse to come forward".

"Our message to anyone who has suffered similar abuses is we will always listen to you and act where appropriate no matter how long ago the offences took place," she added.

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