Salvation Army major abused girl’s ‘crush’ to abuse her

A respected Salvation Army major who took advantage of a schoolgirl’s ‘crush’ was caught decades later after the victim’s relative told her she had been abused. 

Anthony Huntington, 55, was jailed for four years after conducting a boyfriend-girlfriend-type relationship with an underage girl, committing the offences during trips to the baths, in his car after cinema outings and while giving her guitar lessons. 

Durham Crown Court heard that the abuse only came to light two decades later when the girl discussed it with a relative and then confronted him on Facebook.

Prosecutor Shaun Dodds said Huntington, of Peterlee, Durham, ‘more or less’ made full admissions, apologising and telling her he hoped he had not hurt her.

Durham Crown Court heard that the abuse only came to light two decades later when the girl discussed it with a relative and then confronted him on Facebook

Anthony Huntington, 55, was jailed for four years after conducting a boyfriend-girlfriend-type relationship with an underage girl, committing the offences during trips to the baths and in his car after cinema outings. Durham Crown Court heard that the abuse only came to light two decades later when the girl discussed it with a relative and then confronted him on Facebook

The victim, who is now an adult, had seen Huntington as some sort of ‘father-figure’ at the time when he took advantage of her ‘schoolgirl’s crush’ and molested her. 

The court heard that as a Salvationist, he was a Sergeant Major, who had helped to run a Sunday school.

Mr Dodds said in her impact statement, the victim said she was, ‘disgusted and angry’ at what had taken place and felt he had taken advantage and, ‘interfered’ with her, as a child.

In a victim impact statement, she said: ‘I didn’t know it was wrong at the time. 

‘Huntington gave me the attention I didn’t get at home, so I didn’t push him away. What happened has traumatised me, I’m disgusted that anyone could treat a child in the way he treated me.’

The victim, who is now an adult, said that she had ‘trouble sleeping’ after realising the abuse and even committed suicide.   

The 55-year-old, of Peterlee, who has no previous convictions, admitted six counts of indecent assault.

Rod Hunt, mitigating, who handed several character references to the court, said: ‘Everyone who writes on his behalf is astounded and hurt that someone they look up to has this weakness and has caused harm.

‘They can hardly believe it. They don’t condone him, but they would expect him to come clean about it, so as not to cause any more pain.

‘He knows he should not have done what he did, even though it was consensual, and, as soon as he was confronted by the complainant, he admitted it.’

Jailing him, Recorder Timothy Roberts QC told Huntington his victim Regarded him as her ‘boyfriend’.

‘But, you knew how corrupting it was and you persisted in it, on several occasions,’ he said. 

Huntington was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and registration as a sex offender indefinitely.

 

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