A KEIGHLEY man has been jailed for a total of 30 years for a string of child sexual offences dating back to the early 2000s.

Mark Coward, aged 39, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today after he was convicted of charges of rape, indecent assault and sexual activity with a child.

He was ordered to serve 28 years and was given a two-year extended licence. 

Coward was arrested in February 2020 after Bradford District Police received a report that he was having sex with a 15-year-old girl. This led to him being released on bail for enquiries to continue. 

In April 2020, he was charged with eight offences relating to the victim and was remanded into custody.

During this time, three other victims were identified, leading to further charges being made against Coward. 

He appeared in court in December 2020, where he pleaded guilty to multiple charges relating to sexual offences in Bradford. He was again remanded into custody ahead of a trial in May this year.

This trial resulted in Coward being found guilty of all charges against him, and he was again remanded into custody ahead of his sentencing today. 

In a joint statement issued after Coward’s sentencing, the two OICs who led the investigations into his offending said: "The sentence handed down to Coward today reflects the severity of the offences he was convicted of.

“We hope that the victims find some comfort in this outcome – and that they are able to move forward with their lives, knowing that he is no longer free to exploit and abuse others.

“We would like to thank them for their bravery in reporting his offending and would encourage other victims of abuse to come forward to the police, so we can take appropriate action with our partner agencies to safeguard them.”