Lee Rider Sentenced to 13 Years for Child Sexual Abuse and Filming

A man has received a 13-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a girl and documenting the abuse. Lee Rider, a resident of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, was noted to have “betrayed his victim’s trust” during the ongoing abuse that occurred in Cambridgeshire. For a period exceeding five years, Rider subjected his victim to abuse, compelling her to engage in sexual acts with him and occasionally recording these actions. He reportedly told the girl that this would “help his mental health”. The 48-year-old individual, residing on Oak Crescent, pleaded guilty to 12 charges. These included raping a child under 13, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and creating indecent images of children. During two police interviews, Rider denied the accusations, asserting that the victim was untruthful. The abuse came to light after the victim shared her experience with a trusted individual, leading to law enforcement being contacted in January 2023. According to Cambridgeshire Police, the girl informed officers that Rider would purchase items for her, which caused her concern because she felt this implied she would have to do “something for him” in return. At the sentencing hearing held at Peterborough Crown Court, an indefinite restraining order was also issued against Rider, prohibiting him from contacting the victim. Additionally, a sexual harm prevention order was put in place to oversee his conduct. Detective Sergeant Mark Williamson stated that Rider had betrayed his victim’s trust in “the worst possible way,” characterizing the abuse as “nothing short of horrific.” “Something important to highlight is how the victim said she was fearful she wouldn’t be believed because she didn’t have any evidence to support what had happened to her,” he remarked. He added, “However, by coming forward and explaining what happened, she provided key evidence which allowed us to bring Rider to justice.”