A man from Patrington Haven who raped and sexually abused a girl over several years has been found guilty of rape after a retrial at Grimsby Crown Court.
Nigel Bull, 55, was originally charged with 11 sexual offences in October 2023 relating to a series of non-recent rapes and sexual assaults involving two alleged victims over a period of seven years.
The retrial, which concluded on Monday, February 16, resulted in Bull being convicted of rape.
The case first went to trial on Monday, September 2, 2024, at Hull Crown Court, which lasted seven days. Bull was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault by the jury, but a verdict was not reached on three counts of rape.
In the same trial Bull was found not guilty in relation to both offences alleged by a second victim.
Because of the hung jury, the charges Bull faced in relation to the rape offences were subject to a retrial.
The second trial, which began on Monday, February 9, lasted seven days, resulting in Bull being found guilty of three counts of rape last week.
Throughout all legal proceedings, including both trials, Bull maintained a not-guilty plea.
Following his appearance in court last week, he was remanded into custody to await sentencing at Grimsby Crown Court on Friday, April 17.
Officer in the case, Detective Constable Rebecca Davison, from the Protecting Vulnerable People unit, said: “I would first like to commend the victim and their admirable courage and bravery in coming forward, and their patience throughout the entire judicial process.
“Bull is a calculated abuser who refused to take responsibility for his horrific crimes. Instead, he forced his victim to endure the trauma of two separate trials, weaponising the legal system in a final desperate attempt to exert control, making his victim relieve their ordeal twice over.
“I know that the result at court will not take away the trauma and fear suffered by the person he abused, but I hope it brings a sense of justice that he is going to be in jailed for his crimes.
“We take all reports of rape and sexual offences extremely seriously, and we will do everything we can to seek justice for victims and hold those responsible for these detestable crimes to account.
“You are in control, and it is completely up to you who you talk to and what help you get, but just know that there is a wide range of independent and criminal support out there. If you have been a victim of a sexual offence, I urge you please to tell someone.”