One-legged Leeds monster told sleeping 14-year-old girl to ‘shut up’ as he raped her

Remorseless Gareth Conlon was finally brought to justice this week more than two decades on, and which resulted in the young girl being forced to have an abortion and then face the shame of telling the clinic she had a “one-night stand”.

Conlon, continued to deny the offence after the girl, now in her 30s, finally went to the police to report him. He was found guilty after a trial and sentenced to 11 years’ jail at Leeds Crown Court this morning.

In an impact statement from the victim, read out by prosecutor Deborah Smithies, the woman said: “You hurt me physically and emotionally. It still hurts me to this day. I have had no choice but to continue my life but the heartache and tears you caused are still there. Memories still appear.

"All I needed was some closure and with the word ‘guilty’, I have. Whatever sentence you are given it will never take away what I had to go through.”

The court heard that 41-year-old Conlon, who only has one leg, was just 19 at the time. He had got into bed with the girl as she slept and raped her. She woke up to find Conlon pinning her down, before telling her to “shut up and be quiet”.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she “froze” in fear. Later realising she was pregnant, she was forced into the termination and felt forced to keep quiet about the horrific experience.

Mitigating for Conlon, of Ring Road, Beeston, Michael Collins said that his client was just 19 at the time, and was “just an adult”. He said that since being held on remand in HMP Leeds, he has found it difficult due to his physical disability.

Judge Simon Phillips KC told Conlon: “It was a traumatic experience for her, you let her suffer in silence. For the past 22 years she has suffered. She had only told those she could trust, but she was no longer prepared to cover for you and the grave wrong you had done to her as a child. You have shown no remorse or contrition.”