Man who paid girlfriend to participate in child sex abuse in Rotherham jailed

A man who paid his girlfriend to participate in the sexual abuse of teenage girls has been jailed for 21 years.

Neil King, 51, used alcohol and drugs to groom, abuse and rape two girls in Rotherham in the early 2000s.

Officers from the National Crime Agency's Operation Stovewood - an investigation into historic allegations of sexual abuse in the town - found that King began abusing the first victim in the summer of 2008, with his girlfriend at the time, Louise Tye.

Tye, who died last year, knew the girl through her father.

She forced the girl to have sex with her and King and King paid her for her role in the abuse.

On one occasion the girl was accompanied by her best friend, aged around 13 or 14 at the time. King abused them together.

The first victim escaped later moved home, but King tracked her down and in 2010 raped her at her new address.

King, who had no previous criminal convictions, came to the NCA’s attention when Operation Stovewood officers identified the first girl as a potential victim of child sexual abuse in late 2018.

Specially trained officers spoke with her and over time she detailed what King had done to her and her friend.

King and Tye were arrested in 2021.

Tye, 41, of Kimberworth, was charged with inciting a child to engage in sexual activity but died in 2023.

King stood trial at Sheffield Crown Court and was found guilty of 17 charges including rape, attempted rape and engaging in sexual activity with a child.

Senior investigating officer Stuart Cobb said: “This case demonstrates that it’s never too late to report sexual offences, so I urge anyone who was abused as a child to tell police."

Samantha Thompson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Neil King targeted his young victims with money, alcohol, drugs and gifts, grooming them for child sexual abuse, including rape and attempted rape.

“The lifelong physical and emotional trauma caused to victims by men like King cannot be understated. This type of conduct has equally damaged the community confidence of Rotherham."

The NCA's Operation Stovewood is the single biggest investigation into child sexual abuse in the UK, looking at allegations of abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

NCA officers have identified more than 1,100 victims, and to date 37 people , including King, have been convicted. More than 50 active investigations remain ongoing.