Teenage St Helens sex attacker who struck on bail named

Heaton showed no emotion as he was sentenced

A teenager who sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl while on bail awaiting trial for the rape of a 10-year-old girl, can now be named.

Simon Heaton, 17, of St Helens, pleaded guilty to rape, sexual assault and causing grievous bodily harm.

He was previously protected by a court order which banned the publication of his identity.

Heaton was jailed indefinitely at Liverpool Crown Court and ordered to serve a minimum of five years.

'Break your neck'

On Monday, the court heard how Heaton first struck in parkland near his home in St Helens, Merseyside, in April 2009.

Debbie Gould, prosecuting, said: "He began to follow his victim, who was three weeks short of her 11th birthday, and stare at her.

He grabbed hold of her and despite her resistance pushed her into some bushes.

The sick monster who is in court today took my little girl's childhood away from her Victim's mother

"She was trying to scream for help but he said to her, 'If you shout one more time, I'll break your neck'."

After being raped she managed to escape and ran home.

He was charged with rape, but granted bail at Liverpool Crown Court with the condition he remained outside Merseyside.

He then targeted his second victim, a nine-year-old girl in Blackburn, Lancashire.

ANALYSIS Clive Coleman, legal affairs analyst Indeterminate sentences consist of a minimum period of custody, known as the tariff, which the prisoner must serve. Once the tariff is served, the prisoner will not be released unless he or she can satisfy the authorities that they no longer pose a threat to the community. That means that prisoners can remain in custody indefinitely and it is for that reason that some have criticised indeterminate sentences as the new 'life' sentences. Prior to their introduction the authorities were powerless to stop some criminals who clearly remained a danger, but had served their sentence, from being released.

He subjected her to a violent 45-minute ordeal, in which her jaw was broken in two places and she was sexually assaulted.

Miss Gould told the court the little girl was found by court witness, Mary Smith, bleeding from the mouth and covered in mud.

She said: "Mrs Smith said she had never seen a child so distraught and in such a state as that little girl was that evening."

In her victim impact statement the child's mother told the court: "The sick monster who is in court today took my little girl's childhood away from her.

"I prepared my child with tools to deal with the world to ensure she was safe - that's a mother's instinct.

"But what tools do you give a child to deal with real monsters?"

The youth, who showed no emotion throughout the day-long hearing, was jailed indefinitely and must serve at least five years for the rape.

For the other offences he must serve between three and seven years, all to run concurrently.

Jailing Heaton, Judge David Harris QC told him: "To read and hear of the violence which you perpetrated on those little girls for your own sexual gratification is truly chilling."