A 76-year-old man from Bridgwater has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison following the revelation of shocking child sex abuse offences in Somerset.
Roderick Lukins was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court on Thursday, 16 October. He received a prison term of 3 years and 9 months for two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, as well as one count of actual sexual activity with a child.
In addition to his custodial sentence, Lukins was issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits him from having any contact with children upon his release.
The abuse came to light after Lukins raised concerns by asking the victim’s family for permission to take their child to a local event in Bridgwater. Although the family had known Lukins for many years and initially trusted him, the request felt unsettling.
Weeks later, the child questioned why they had not seen Lukins, which led to the discovery that Lukins had been sexually abusing the child. The abuse included inappropriate touching and kissing, with further distressing details emerging as the investigation progressed.
Avon and Somerset Police launched an investigation in 2022, which ultimately resulted in Lukins’ conviction. Specialist officers described the offences as “depraved and sickening.”
The victim’s family spoke about the devastating impact of the abuse, stating: “They can’t erase his sexually verbal and physical actions from their mind. They visualise his actions repeatedly, causing extreme upset, sadness, depression, uncontrollable tears and constant nightmares.”
They added, “Therapy and victim support have helped, but the trauma will take time to heal. The case was postponed for a year, prolonging the pain for all of us.”
Detective Constable Phil Hockey praised the bravery of the victim, saying: “The child did absolutely the right thing by speaking out. We urge any victims of sexual abuse to come forward — you will be listened to, believed, and supported.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
