A former primary school teaching assistant has been jailed for sexually abusing a ten-year-old boy 20 years ago.
Denise Povall, from Ripon, North Yorkshire groomed her young victim, by buying him gifts and sending him texts so she could carry out an “evil and sustained” campaign of sexual exploitation. She had sexual intercourse with the child and performed sex acts on several occasions.
The offences took place in the 2000s when she worked for a school in the Harrogate district.
But to this day Povall, who is now 61, has taken “absolutely no accountability” for her actions, which the victim said has deeply affected his life.
The victim came forward in adulthood and told North Yorkshire Police about the offences, which led to an extensive investigation into the teaching assistant and midday supervisor.
During police interviews, Povall point-blank denied any offences had taken place.
However, detectives in North Yorkshire Police’s Non-Recent Abuse Investigation Team compiled a case that resulted in her being charged with a number of serious offences including grooming, inciting sex with a child, inciting sexual activity with a child and sexual assault by touching.
She continued to deny all the offences by pleading not guilty. But a jury at York Crown Court found her guilty of all charges during a trial.
A judge at the same court sentenced her to eight years in prison and ordered her to sign the sex offenders’ register on her release.
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.”
DC Morris added:
“Due to the way paedophiles such as Povall groom, manipulate and control their victims, we know child sexual abuse is under-reported.
“So I want anyone who thinks they may have been sexually assaulted – no matter how long ago it happened – to know they can come forward. We have specially-trained officers and we work with organisations that provide excellent practical and emotional support.”
Historic Abuse Claims
Compensation for historic abuse
If you are a survivor of abuse in the past, whether that be sexual abuse or physical assault, you may be entitled to claim compensation for the impact it had upon your health.
A claim can be made for the physical impact to your health but also, an often more importantly, it can also be made for any damage it may have caused to your mental health. Compensation can be claimed for personal injury and also any financial losses you may have suffered as a result of your ill health.
Even if the abuse took place decades ago, you may still be entitled to make a claim.
Historic Abuse – Should I make a claim?
Before deciding on whether making a claim is the best option for you, it’s important to seek some initial legal advice about the merits. Here at Oakwood Solicitors, we offer a free assessment and would be happy to discuss this with you and no charge.
If you find a Solicitor who is of the view that your claim does have merits, then it is important to also consider the impact to your health that taking a claim forward may have.
Litigation can be a stressful process and may have an adverse impact on your health. We are not doctors, so we cannot give you medical advice, but are under a duty to advise you that pursuing a claim will be a reminder of the trauma of the abuse whilst the claim is ongoing and this may have an negative impact on your mental health.
Please also note that the only outcome to a successful claim is financial compensation. You may see the litigation as a mechanism for obtaining answers but the majority of cases settle out of Court, which may result in many of your questions remaining unanswered.
You may be advised by your doctors that by revisiting the trauma of the abuse you suffered may set you back in your recovery. The decision to proceed must be your own, in conjunction with your medical advisors.
If you agree to proceed forward with a claim, then our team will support you as best as they can and try and make the process as stress-free as possible.
Why should I use Oakwood Solicitors to make my claim?
At Oakwood Solicitors, we have a dedicated team focused solely on claims of this nature. We have experience dealing with victims of sexual abuse and understand that this is a stressful time for all involved.
You will have a dedicated advisor who will see your claim through from start to finish, assisting you in the event of any queries or issues you may have.
If it is preferable to you, we are able to assign a female advisor to carry out your claim. Your case handler will also continue to provide regular updates until the conclusion of your claim, ensuring the process is as stress-free and effortless as possible.
Further reading
Historic abuse claims – Oakwood Solicitors
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
Carol Cook joined Oakwood Solicitors in May 2017 to lead the Medical Negligence Department.
Carol handles a wide range of clinical, cosmetic and dental negligence claims and has years of experi…
Historic sexual abuse claims
If you have been a victim of historical sexual abuse, you may have suffered physically and psychologically for many years. But even if decades have passed since the abuse took place, it is never t…
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Historic abuse claims FAQ
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse or physical assault in the past, it is possible that you might be eligible to seek compensation for the negative impact it has had upon your health.
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