Gene Neville Wright – York

The strength and bravery of the victims in this case has ensured that this abuser is now behind bars, where he rightfully belongs ⬇️

A man has been jailed for 18 years for historic sexual offences against a woman and four girls.

Between 1996 and 2011, Gene Neville Wright subjected the victims to a number of incidents of sexual assault. The abuse included the rape of the woman, and sexual assault and indecent assault towards the four girls.

The offences first came to light in 2019, when one of the victims disclosed the abuse she had suffered at the hands of Wright to staff from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), who were supporting her.

North Yorkshire Police’s Safeguarding Investigation team picked up the case and contacted the victim to arrange to obtain her account.

Following the process, Wright was arrested and interviewed where he denied the allegations of sexual assault.

Enquiries continued and further victims were identified, who also bravely gave their accounts to investigating officers.

Despite being interviewed twice more, Wright repeatedly denied the allegations and accused the victims of lying but officers saw through his lies.

The 40-year-old was charged with two counts of rape of the woman. In relation to the four girls, he was also charged with one count of sexual assault of a child under 13, and four counts of indecent assault.

Wright was found guilty of all seven offences earlier this year and at York Crown Court today (24 November) was jailed for 18 years. In addition to the custodial sentence, Wright has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

Of the 18‑year sentence, Wright received seven years for the first rape, seven years for additional rapes plus one year for four counts of indecent assault, and three years for sexually assaulting a child under 13.

The five victims provided victim impact statements, which were read to the court by the prosecution.

One victim described how Wright made her feel as though she was to blame for what he did to her, and how he made his behaviour seem normal. She spent years believing she was a problem. “He’s not only ruined my life, but he’s ruined my family’s lives, and I wish I had never met him,” she said, adding that she now suffers from PTSD and that Wright’s actions have had a significant impact on her mental health.

Another victim explained how she feels she missed out on a proper childhood and how the abuse has affected her understanding of what a loving relationship should look like. She said she struggles to recognise risks in relationships in the way she should. “I hope that once this is over, I can finally try to put this behind me and get on with my life,” she said.

The third victim told the court that she continues to experience feelings of guilt and finds it extremely difficult to move past what happened. “It has affected me for many years, and the memories continue to resurface despite my efforts to move forward,’ she said, before describing the ongoing emotional and psychological impact of Wright’s actions.

The fourth victim outlined how the abuse destroyed what had previously been a happy childhood. She described experiencing nightmares and flashbacks, being too frightened to be alone, and feeling overwhelming anger without understanding why. “My innocence was taken the night he sexually abused me,” she said.

The fifth victim described how she has suffered regular and debilitating panic attacks after seeing Wright in a public place in recent years and now has to take medication to manage them. “I don’t think I fully realised at the time the impact of what he did to me, as the whole thing was swept under the carpet and I was so young,” she said.

Detective Constable Sarah Scott of North Yorkshire Police’s Safeguarding Investigation Team in York, who led the investigation, said:

“First and foremost, I want to recognise the immense courage of the victims in this case who were forced to give evidence twice. This process was particularly traumatic for them and without their strength, bravery, and determination in supporting the investigation Wright may not be behind bars today, where he belongs.

“I am pleased that Wright has finally been brought to justice for these horrific offences. He raped the woman and stole the girls’ childhoods while continuing to live his own life without consequence.

“Throughout the investigation and trial, Wright denied every offence and accused all five victims of lying. He even singled out one victim, attempting to blame her and claiming she had orchestrated a conspiracy against him.

“Wright has demonstrated no remorse whatsoever. At one point during the trial, he appeared in court seemingly under the influence of alcohol, which resulted in his bail being revoked.

“All five victims continue to suffer lasting effects from his crimes. My hope is that today’s sentence gives survivors of abuse the courage to come forward. I want them to feel reassured that, no matter how much time has passed, we will listen, and we will act.”

Are you a survivor of sexual abuse and do you feel ready to report your experience?

You can report a sexual assault or rape that happened at any time to us, even if it was months, years or decades ago. We take every report seriously, no matter how much time has passed.

Find out the different ways you can get in touch on the ‘Report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences’ page on our website.

Alternatively, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

If you’re not ready to speak to police, or if you want extra support, there are lots of people who can help