Entrenched Leeds paedophile with a 'desire' for young boys locked up
A paedophile who abused four boys to “devastating” effect has been jailed for more than nine years.
Defiant Scott Sherwood denied a raft of offences against the youngsters, but was found guilty after a trial at Leeds Crown Court in January.
The 43-year-old was cleared of four offences, but the jury convicted of seven counts of sexual assault of a child, one of sexual activity with a child and one of causing child to engage in sexual activity.
They date as far back as 2019 and the victims were as young as nine.
Sherwood, of Cartmell Drive, Halton, was brought back before the court this week for sentencing.
Judge Robin Mairs heard impact statements from the victims saying what sick Sherwood had done to them was “devastating”.
He told Sherwood: “They feel guilt. They, and their families, did nothing wrong.
“The blame for this abuse lays fairly and squarely at your door.
“It was your sexual desires that drove your offending. A desire for sex with young boys.”
He said that Sherwood groomed the boys and their families, posing as a respectable “self-styled uncle” when he was an “entrenched paedophile”.
He would shower them with gifts and told one victim he would take the presents back if they tried to prevent him from abusing him.
The court heard Sherwood had no previous convictions.
Judge Mairs jailed him for nine-and-a-half years in total, put him on the sex offender register for life and gave him a lifelong sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).