Man jailed for rape and sexual assault of two children
A man who raped and sexually assaulted two children has been jailed for more than a decade.
Callum Waterhouse, aged 27 of Llwyn-Yr-Eos, in Nelson, Wales, has been jailed for 16 years after a jury unanimously found him guilty of nine offences following an eight-day trial at Bristol Crown Court which concluded in March.
Among the offences Waterhouse was found guilty of, these included some ‘multiple offence’ charges, which means several incidents have been compiled into one charge.
He was convicted of:
- Two counts of multiple rapes of a girl under 13 years old
- Two counts of multiple assaults of a child by penetration
- Sexual assault of a child under 13
- Rape of a girl
- Three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15 when the offender was over 18.
Waterhouse, then 18, moved from Wales to Bristol in 2016 where he groomed a child and raped and sexually assaulted her on a number of occasions.
When he moved back to the Torfaen area of Wales later that year, at the age of 19, he groomed a teenage girl and raped and had sexual activity with her on a number of occasions.
The investigation first came to our attention in 2018 when Waterhouse’s first victim told the second victim what had happened, resulting in a report to our colleagues at Gwent Police who reported the matter to ourselves.
In a statement, Waterhouse’s first victim said: “Callum Waterhouse didn’t just take my childhood, he took my teenage years and the pain and trauma will live with me, but it won’t get the best of me.
“It took 10 years to get to court, but I am finally being heard now.”
She added: “I hate that this happened to me, I hate that he’s had such an affect, impact and change on my life.
“No jail time will ever give me what I should’ve had back. I blame Callum Waterhouse for the character you’ve forced me to be, for the failure in relationships and the lack of confidence and for making men my biggest nightmare.”
Waterhouse’s second victim said: “I felt lost and unsure about how to navigate and transition into adulthood. It has caused me eight years of constant grief and worry, feeling like I haven’t been able to move on with my life.”
The Crown Prosecution Service agreed charges in relation to both victims and, following an update to the first victim in July 2023, she made further disclosures about Waterhouse and he was charged with further offences in October 2023.
The case, which was due to go to trial in November 2024, was then postponed until the end of February this year.
On Thursday 5 March this year, Waterhouse was found guilty and he was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court last Thursday (7 May) to 16 years in prison.
He was told he must service a minimum of nine and a half years before he would be eligible to apply for parole.
In her statement, the victim said directly to Waterhouse: “Today, I walk away from this, leaving all the evil and darkness with you. I give you my pain, my flashbacks and my fears, they will now be yours and I will now build a beautiful life for myself.
“I will finally know what happiness and freedom feels like, I refuse to live my life as your victim, I will work to rebuild myself. I refuse to let you have a hold on me any longer and you will now live with all the questions and I hope you live with guilty for the rest of your life.”
Officer in the case, Det Insp Simon Da Costa said: “This has been a lengthy and complex investigation, followed by a significant wait for the trial.
“I want to acknowledge the victims’ patience and thank them for the courage they have shown in coming forward and supporting this case throughout. Their strength and resilience have been key in securing this conviction.
“The sentence reflects the serious harm caused by Callum Waterhouse. I hope the victims can take some reassurance from knowing he is now in custody and subject to ongoing restrictions, even after his release from prison.”
Among the restrictions, Waterhouse will also be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.