A SERIAL child sex offender, already told he could be facing a life sentence for a catalogue of abuse over 20 years, was today (Friday February 12) convicted of a further two charges.

Fifty-year-old Stanley Simpson was found ‘guilty’ of a total of 29 charges, including three of rape, following unanimous jury verdicts, at Durham Crown Court, on Thursday (February 13).

The offences, spanning from 1980 to 2000, involved five boys and a girl, aged eight to 15, and all took place at homes where the advice centre legal advisor lived at different times in Pennywell, Sunderland, and Ouston, near Chester-le-Street.

It left two unresolved charges, one each of rape and indecent assault, relating to a seventh victim, a 16-year-old girl, the only complainant in the case aged above 15 at the time.

On their return to court today (Friday), the jurors were asked to resume deliberations on those two offences, involving a victim the prosecution claim was drugged and raped by Simpson, after he invited her to stay at his home, with a 15-year-old friend, as both were homeless.

Simpson claimed they had consensual sex, but, following a direction given by Judge Simon Hickey, the jury resumed deliberations for another 20 minutes, before returning guilty verdicts on both counts, each by majority 10-2 verdicts.

The defendant, of Peniston Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, was on bail until Thursday’s verdicts, after which Judge Hickey remanded him in custody.

Following today’s (Friday) further ‘guilty’ verdicts, Judge Hickey said he needed time to consider the correct sentences, given the offences carry different statutory maximum and minimum prison terms.

He said he would adjourn to a day convenient to both prosecution and defence counsel, Sarah Mallett and Scott Smith, respectively, but asked both for their submissions prior to sentencing.

Judge Hickey said he would welcome any updated impact statements from the seven victims, who each gave evidence during the 14-day trial, several in highly emotional state as they recounted the dark events from their youth.

“If any of the complainants would like to express their wishes they are welcome to do so.

“I saw them give evidence in the course of this trial and it clearly had an enormous effect on them, which I will take into account when I come to sentence.”

He remanded Simpson to remain in custody until Friday March 11, but warned him to expect to receive, “a lengthy sentence”, on that day.