Sexual predator was ‘every parent’s worst nightmare’

Daniel Lishman was found guilty of rape and indecent assault of a girl under 13.

He had previously pleaded guilty to 14 offences ranging from sexual assault of a child under 13 years to sexual touching.

Lishman had also pleaded guilty to ten specimen charges of making indecent images of children and asked for four similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Judge Peter Carr described Lishman as an “intelligent, cunning and devious man” and “every parent’s worst nightmare” when he was sentenced at Coventry Crown Court on Monday.

The judge ordered that Lishman, 37, of Northamptonshire, must serve a minimum of eleven years, which taking into account the length of time he has spent on remand means he will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least ten years and 78 days.

Lishman was told he will also be subject to a sex offenders prevention order on his release from jail and he will be placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Most of the attacks were carried out in Northamptonshire.

He would use his position as a dog groomer and television licensing officer to gain entry to people’s homes and abuse their children.

Lishman would also lurk in alleyways and parks to get to the children and even pretended to be a policeman to search children whom he accused of stealing sweets.

One of his victims had cerebral palsy and assaults were carried out in homes or his dog-grooming van.

He was sacked from the Northamptonshire force in 2001 after a woman made allegations of sexual assaults against him, but police were unaware that in the same year he launched a string of attacks on children that would continue until 2010.

The Southam teenager was attacked in her home in February last year after Lishman had followed her and kept knocking on the door until she answered.

He persuaded her to let him in by claiming he had come to fix the boiler, attacked her and then drove off in his mud-splattered van.

The girl was not hurt but left in a distressed and traumatised state.

The investigation was featured in the BBC Crimewatch programme.

Speaking after sentencing, Det Insp Peter Hill, who headed the investigation into the Southam attack, said: “For over a decade Lishman has lived a lie – he has preyed on the young and vulnerable for his own perverted satisfaction.”

“Throughout several days of police interviews following his initial arrest Lishman refused to answer questions put to him and as a result the victims and witnesses had to go through the ordeal of taking part in an identification procedure.

“We would not be in the position we are in now were it not for the strength and courage of these witnesses.

“It was only after Lishman appeared in court charged with a number of sexual offences against children and was remanded in custody, that he indicated that he would like to talk to police about other offences. Even then he still put one of his victims through the ordeal of giving evidence in court”

Judge Carr commended