The psychological harm caused to the survivors of these crimes is immeasurable; and in many cases, has had a profound and devastating impact on their lives.
While no prison sentence can, in any way, take their trauma away, the substantial number of years handed down to the criminals pictured here means their involvement in the criminal justice system has resulted in dangerous offenders being taken off the streets for a significant period of time.
Some of the defendants admitted their crimes, while others were found guilty following a jury trial.
The longest sentence handed down to the sex offenders on this list was given to Arshid Hussain, the ringleader of an evil Rotherham child abuse gang who stole the childhoods of vulnerable girls. He was jailed for 35 years.
Two of the despicable criminals received life sentences, meaning that should they ever be released from custody, they will be monitored by the authorities until the day they die.
*Sheffield Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre works to support recovery from the emotional and psychological distress caused by trauma from rape, sexual violence or sexual abuse/exploitation whenever it happened in a persons’ life.
Anyone wishing to access their information and support line should call: 07517 100 757. You can also call their office line on: 0114 2412766 or email them at: [email protected]
17. Mohammed Siyab: 25 years' for sex offender who was part of group who subjected girls to ‘harrowing’ and ‘dehumanising’ abuse
Mohammed Siyab is one of seven men convicted of a string of child sex abuse offences, after they subjected two Rotherham teenage girls to ‘harrowing’ and ‘dehumanising’ abuse. The abuse took place in the early 2000s and the victims, who were aged between 11 and 16 at the time of the offences and were both in care, were groomed and often plied with alcohol or cannabis before being raped or assaulted. The court heard how the girls, neither of whom can be named for legal reasons, would often be collected by their abusers from the children’s homes where they lived at the time. Siyab, who was found guilty of offences including sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years; two counts of rape and trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation received the longest sentence of 25 years | SYP
18. Ricky Bellion: "Evil" and "sadistic" Sheffield rapist jailed for 22 years
Ricky Bellion sexually abused his victim in the 1980s and 1990s, with his crimes against her beginning when she was just 10 years old. After reporting Bellion 2019, an investigation was launched, which resulted in the 60-year-old being imprisoned for more than two decades yesterday. Bellion’s grooming of his young victim began when the victim attended public swimming sessions at the now defunct St James’ Baths in Doncaster. A further victim also came forward in 2019, resulting in Bellion being charged with a total of nine counts of sexual abuse, including multiple counts of rape and indecent assault. He denied any criminality, resulting in an 11-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court in November 2024. Bellion, of Washington Road, Sheffield, was found guilty of all counts on 25 November and remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing at the same court on February 6, 2025, where he was jailed for 22 years. | SYP
19. Joshua The High Priest: Double rapist who attacked Sheffield teenagers snared 25 years after attacks
Robert Wilson, who changed his name to Joshua The High Priest by deed poll, was jailed for 17 years in 2009 after a cold case team from South Yorkshire Police began reviewing unsolved sex crimes carried out across the county. In the first incident, in October 1984, Priest, now aged 66, and originally from Broomhall, posed as a taxi driver and picked up an 18-year-old bar worker as she left work after a shift at a nightclub. In the second incident, in June 1985, Priest broke into a flat in Broomhall and subjected a 17-year-old girl to a horrific sexual attack at knifepoint. He was arrested at the time for the second attack but was never charged because of insufficient evidence. During his trial at Sheffield Crown Court in 2009 the jury heard Priest had a string of previous convictions for sexual offences. He had been jailed for seven years in 1986 for raping and robbing a prostitute in Sheffield just weeks after the attack on the student. He was also jailed in 1993 for three years for the indecent assault of a 10-year-old girl. | SYP
20. Luke Scott: 22-year sentence for 'dangerous' Sheffield man beat & raped two women in heinous attacks just months apart
A Sheffield judge praised the bravery of two women who reported the 'dangerous' man who raped them, as he handed the violent thug responsible a sentence of more than 20 years. Cowardly Luke Scott refused to remain on the prison video link for the entirety of a hearing held on March 27, 2024, as Judge Charles Thomas passed sentence upon him for raping two women in separate incidents carried out just a few months apart. Judge Thomas said: "I want to pay tribute to the courage of both of the victims in the case for having the bravery and perseverance to come forward, and go through this process." Scott, aged 32 at the time of his sentencing hearing, had sought to deny responsibility for his crimes, but jurors rejected his account when they found him guilty of 14 serious offences, including three counts of rape, three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of threats to kill, at the conclusion of a trial at the same court. Judge Thomas jailed Scott for 18 years, and said he felt it necessary to extend his licence period by four years - bringing his total sentence to 22 years - after deeming him to be a 'dangerous' offender. He said that in his view, Scott posed a 'risk of serious harm' to women. "That risk is real now, and will remain high for some time," Judge Thomas said. | SYP