Driffield man guilty of ‘horrific offences’ against children

A pub landlord took advantage of his job to rape a child and commit a string of “horrific” sexual offences against young girls, Humberside Police said.

An investigation into Roy Borrowdale, 67, from Driffield, began in 2018 when a victim came forward to report sexual offences he had committed against her in the 2010s.

This led to a “disturbing trail of abuse” with other victims coming forward. When evidence of grooming was found on Borrowdale’s phone, he denied it and claimed others had access to his phone.

Following a trial, Borrowdale was found guilty at Grimsby Crown Court and jailed for 25 years with an additional 12 months to be served on license.

Borrowdale was found guilty of eight counts of sexual abuse which included sexual activity with a child, two counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault.

A jury also found him not guilty of one count of rape.

In a statement read in court, one victim said Borrowdale had “waited until I was vulnerable to strip me of my dignity”, adding he made her feel “ashamed and dirty”.

“I’m at peace knowing you’ll suffer for what you have done not only to myself, but to others who were unfortunate in knowing the vile animal you really are,” they added.

Borrowdale was put on the sex offenders’ register for life and handed a sexual harm prevention order.

The investigation was led by South Yorkshire Police and assisted by Humberside Police officers.

South Yorkshire Police’s Det Con David Harrison said: “Borrowdale exploited his young and vulnerable victims, taking advantage of their age and his position as a pub landlord to abuse them for his own sexual gratification.”

Leading the Humberside Police investigation, Det Con Nichola Oakley said: “I hope today’s outcome provides some reassurance to the victims and their families that an utterly deplorable man is now behind bars and unable to inflict any more harm to them or any other child.”