A 47-year-old father of two has been convicted on three charges of sexual assault after two girls came forward and revealed the abuse he had subjected them to when they were very young.
Britnee Aitken, born Marcus, had been set to have ‘gender affirming’ surgery scheduled when the conviction was handed down, something the defense framed as “causing damage” to him. But at Minshull Crown Court in Manchester, Sentencing Judge John Edwards seemed unfazed by the defense’s concern for Aitken’s surgery date, saying: “I bear in mind the difficulties you may encounter in a custodial environment but this offending was sustained, predatory and very distressing for these girls.”
As first reported in The Daily Mail, Aitken was charged for the crimes in 2020, but they occurred between July and September of 2012 when the girls were five and six years old. The abuses apparently took place when the girls were visiting Aitken’s home, with the man luring the girls under the promise of playing board games.
Aitken, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, would expose his genitals to the girls through the door’s letter slot when they knocked.
The same year as the assaults, Aitken received a caution from police for taking a lewd up-skirt photo of a 7-year-old girl.
One of the victims, now a teenager, provided the court an impact statement, in which she said she suffered from “flashbacks” due to the abuse.
“What happened has affected my ability to form and maintain relationships with friends and family and the abuse has caused me to struggle with anxiety and anger management. I am concerned about these things will impact my life going forward.”
Aitken’s defense counsel attempted to suggest a non-custodial sentence which would see him avoid jail completely.
“[He] still does not recognize her guilt but a sentence of imprisonment could be suspended. It must be a difficult life for [him] to lead at the moment,” lawyer Adam Roxborough said.
Speaking to Aitken, Judge Edwards acknowledged his potentially difficult circumstances, but deferred to the ordeal of the victims.
“You presented as an almost avuncular figure, happy on the surface to indulge those children with games, when your true motives were more sinister,” He said, continuing: “You crossed a very clear boundary in order to indulge your attractions. Your caution plainly displays an interest in young children.”
According to MailOnline, Aitken will be serving his 3-year sentence in a male prison, and will also be required to submit to the sex offender registry for life. He is also being handed a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order, the terms of which bar him from “loitering” near schools or children’s play areas.
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