'Evil' teaching assistant groomed ten-year-old boy before sexually abusing him
08.06.2024 - 21:15
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
An 'evil' teaching assistant groomed a ten-year-old boy before sexually abusing him. Denise Povall, 61, has been locked up for eight years for a campaign of abuse.
Povall, from Ripon, North Yorkshire, groomed the boy, bought him gifts and sent him texts before abusing him. North Yorkshire Police said she committed an 'evil and sustained' campaign of sexual exploitation.
The offences occurred in the 2000s when she worked at a primary school in Harrogate, Yorkshire Live reports. Police claim Povall has taken "absolutely no accountability" for her crimes, which the victim said has deeply affected his life. He came forward as an adult.
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During police interviews, Povall was said to have denied any offences had taken place, but a case was compiled against her and resulted in her being found guilty of offences including grooming, inciting sex with a child, inciting sexual activity with a child and sexual assault by touching.
She was jailed on Friday at York Crown Court. After the hearing, Detective Constable Alison Morris, who led the investigation for North Yorkshire Police, said: “This has been a long and extensive investigation into some of the most serious types of offences we encounter as detectives.
“What we uncovered can only be described as evil and sustained sexual abuse of a young child by a paedophile. Povall has taken absolutely no accountability for the damage she has done to her victim’s life, so I’m glad we’ve been able to help the victim secure some sort of closure.
“He’s been incredibly brave coming forward, especially given the common misconception that women don’t commit these sort of crimes. Due to the way paedophiles