Morecambe sex offender sentenced to more than 26 years

Roy Mosedale, 61, who also went by the name of Paul Higginson, carried out the offences in Morecambe and the West Midlands.

Investigations by Lancashire Police and West Midlands Police brought him to justice.

He sentenced by a judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court to 26 years and seven months – that being 21 years and seven months imprisonment, with an extended licence of five years.

Mosedale, who pleaded guilty to a number of offences including rape, indecent assault and possession of indecent images, will only be eligible for parole after serving two thirds of the custodial sentence.

The offences he committed in Morecambe against two young girls were reported to Lancashire Police in March this year.

He was using the name Paul Higginson and when those offences were investigated, a social media appeal was put out to find him.

The description which was circulated included details of two distinctive tattoos he has on his arms - a cartoon parrot and a bare-chested woman with bird features.

About a week after the appeal was made, he handed himself in at Bromsgrove Police Station and revealed his real name as Roy Mosedale.

He was wanted in the Midlands under that name for sexual offences there, having failed to appear in court to face trial 20 years previously.

During the sentence hearing in Wolverhampton, his two victims from Morecambe read their Victim Personal Statements to the court.

One of them described having flashbacks and had self-harmed.

She said: “I just hope once this is all over and done with, I can hopefully start regaining my trust and get on with my life.”

The second victim said she had twice tried to take her own life having struggled to come to terms with what had happened.

In addition to the prison sentence, Mosedale was made subject of a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Sgt Matt Entwistle of Lancaster Police said: “This was a case involving a number of victims and justice has caught up with Roy Mosedale. The victims have been extremely brave.

"The sentence passed on him shows the serious nature of his offending, a dangerous offender has been taken off the streets and imprisoned.”