Birmingham man jailed 18 years after series of sexual assaults against six-year-old boy
Police have praised the bravery of a man who reported being raped as a child, as his attacker has been jailed almost 20 years after the abuse happened.
West Midlands Police were contacted in 2020 about allegations against Jerome Blackburn dating back to 2008, and on Tuesday (20 January), the 33-year-old was jailed.
The investigation found Blackburn, from Edgbaston, had carried out a series of assaults on a boy, aged six at the time, who was known to him.
The boy, now in his 20s, bravely told police what had happened, and specialist officers carried out a range of enquiries as part of their investigation.
While Blackburn was arrested and subsequently charged, he denied the offences put to him.
However, following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, he was found guilty last December of two counts of rape of a child under 13, and two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13.
At the same court on Tuesday, January 20, he was sentenced to seven years in prison.
He will also be on the sex offenders register for life.
Investigating officer, PC Connor Jones, said: “The man who was abused as a child has shown tremendous courage and bravery in reporting to us what happened to him.
“Regardless of the time that has passed since it happened, and the subsequent legal process, his bravery in speaking to us has resulted in his abuser being sent to prison.
“Specialist officers have been supporting him throughout this process, and we are all pleased to see justice has been served.”
