Rapist jailed for abusing teenage boy more than 10 years ago
- LM News
- 21 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A man who raped and began sexually abusing a teenage boy in 2015 has been jailed.
Mark Watson was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years at Leicester Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 9 July).
The 55-year-old’s offending was brought to the attention of police in 2021 when the victim, who is now an adult, told a third-party what had happened between 2015 and 2018.
He told officers from our Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) that Watson had raped him on several occasions and forced him to engage in other sexual activity. He said Watson had also physically assaulted him during that time and regularly threatened him with violence.
On 2 March, at the same court, Watson was found guilty of two counts of rape and two counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial.
Watson, of Linford Street in the Belgrave area of Leicester, was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) until further notice, placed on the sex offender register for life and made subject to a restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim for life.
Detective Constable Aisling McPhillips, the investigating officer, said: “I want to praise the victim in the case for his continued support and understanding from the moment the incident was reported in 2021 to the end of the court process.
“Without the information and accounts he was able to provide, Watson would not have been convicted and sentenced for what is without doubt, abuse that no person should ever have to go through.
“I hope this sentence provides him with a sense of closure and allows him to move on with his life.”
There are several different agencies who can offer independent help and support to victims of sexual offences in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
Further information on these services and details on who to contact if you have been a victim of a sexual offence can be found by visiting https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences
Leicestershire Police News - Published: 09:53 10/07/2026