Notts mum fears 'vile' paedophile will be out of prison in a year

"We never want to see his evil face again, but people need to know who he is," said a Mansfield mum who is trying to protect her daughter from a cruel sex attacker.
Lett, 64, is convicted of sexually abusing a young girl when she was younger than eight.Lett, 64, is convicted of sexually abusing a young girl when she was younger than eight.
Lett, 64, is convicted of sexually abusing a young girl when she was younger than eight.

A distraught mother has slammed the sentence handed down to a Mansfield man convicted of sexually abusing her young daughter.

And, as she struggles to protect her “petrified” little girl, the mum says that the courts have not gone far enough to protect them from paedophile John Lett.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lett, aged 64, of Arran Square, Mansfield, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after being found guilty of sexually abusing the young girl.

John Lett, photo provided by Nottinghamshrire PoliceJohn Lett, photo provided by Nottinghamshrire Police
John Lett, photo provided by Nottinghamshrire Police

But the panicked mum said the sentence was not anywhere near what Lett deserved – and she now fears what will happen if he is released early on parole.

The mum from Mansfield, who cannot be named, said: “I can’t believe somebody who has done such a horrible crime could be out in less than a year, and my daughter’s got to carry that around for the rest of her life.”

Lett was sentenced on May 12 to two and a half years in prison, but with fears he may be back in the open before then, the Mansfield mum is terrified for her daughter - and says justice has not been served.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"My daughter is distraught," she told the Chad. “Knowing he’s going to be back out on the street in just under a year – she’s petrified.”

John Lett, photo provided by Nottinghamshrire PoliceJohn Lett, photo provided by Nottinghamshrire Police
John Lett, photo provided by Nottinghamshrire Police

"He befriended my ex-husband, probably for the sole purpose of getting to my daughter.

"I had absolutely no inkling of what was happening to her - she was staying at her father’s address and it was only when a neighbour told me they recognised him, and he was done previously for indecent photographs that I asked her.”

Now with the help of the Chad, the family have fought to get an image of Lett in the open.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The mum added: "I don’t want to see his evil face every again, he’s traumatised her enough. But we think people should be aware of who this man is. Would you want him next door to you?

"Every parent should be aware of him and his crimes. I wouldn’t want any other parent to go through what I currently am.

"He’s a vile, manipulative man and every mother should be made aware of him."

Lett was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on May 12.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said sentencing was in the hands of independent judiciary and judges often have good reasons for lenient jail terms.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They added: "This was an awful crime and our thoughts are with the victim and her family. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary, who base their decisions on the facts of each case."

Lett’s finding comes after a five-day trial in February at Nottingham Crown Court.

He pleaded not-guilty to three sexual offences against a young girl and the jury found him guilty of sexually abusing her at her home in the Mansfield area.

Two separate charges of touching her sexually on other occasions were cleared.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Recorder Stuart Sprawson, said he faced “a substantial and significant term of imprisonment”, and on May 12 the judge handed the man a term two and a half years.

The judge told him after the verdict was read: “You have been convicted of a single charge of sexual assault against a very young child.

The charges relate to when the girl was aged between five and eight on dates between January 2011 and October 2013, and the trial heard that the alleged offences happened when Lett was looking after the girl when her father attended medical appointments.

This was a favour to the dad, with whom he had become “quite good friends” after the dad had split up with his wife (the girl’s mother) and she had moved out. Lett used to visit the home for cups of tea and to help with DIY jobs around the house.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The abuse came to light in September 2015, the court heard, when the girl's mum discovered Lett had similar previous convictions and asked her daughter if Lett had ever touched her.

“I thought John could be trusted,” she said in a statement to the trial. “He seemed like a genuinely nice family man.”

Lett denied the allegations and said the girl was “affectionate” towards him and ran up to him for a hug every time he visited. He also popped her on his knee to help her with her reading, and said the idea that he sexually touched her was “disgusting”.

Related topics: