Babysitter, 52, is jailed for 11 years after he tried to rape a 10-year-old girl

A 52-year-old babysitter has been jailed after he tried to rape a 10-year-old girl before her older brother intervened and rang their mother.   

The boy was downstairs at his home when babysitter James Boyesha lied and said he was going to the toilet before disappearing upstairs for half an hour. 

The boy became suspicious and went upstairs to investigate where he found Boyesha on top of his terrified sister – who had been stripped naked from the waist down. 

He immediately rang his mother for help and ignored Boyesha when he threatened him and tried to force him into playing along with a cover-up story.  

At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, the boy was praised for his courage by the judge. 

Boyesha, from Radcliffe, was jailed for 11 years.  

Judge Tania Griffiths QC said: ‘Thank goodness for the actions of the brother.

‘He was a courageous young man who did his best to save his sister from your clutches. 

‘He was a brave young man and he was the adult showing responsibility, the sort of responsibility and care to his sister you should have shown. This was a disgraceful incident and you should be ashamed.’

The court heard the incident took place after Boyesha befriended the family, having been earlier acquitted of assaulting another child in 2014.  

He previously attacked the 10-year old girl on a prior occasion but had persuaded her to keep silent by threatening to hurt her mother. 

Police were alerted in 2019. Boyesha admitted rape and attempted rape on the day of his trial.

The judge told him: ‘You invited yourself around to the children’s home at night when you knew they were home alone. You made sure the girl’s brother was otherwise engaged and under the pretext of going to the toilet entered her bedroom and proceeded to strip her from the waist down and lie on top of her attempting to rape her.

‘Her brother came to see what was going on as you had been gone for 30 minutes, he saw you on top of her and phoned his mother to tell her what was happening.

‘You tried to get him to make a cover story for you but he was having none of it. The mother arrived and remonstrated with you.

‘Later on the girl revealed this has happened earlier in similar circumstances and you had threatened to hurt her mother if she told anyone.

‘You were a trusted family friend you were entrusted with their care, taking them on shopping trips and to the park.

‘You have no relevant previous convictions but in 2014 before beginning a relationship with this family you were acquitted by a jury of an offence of assault under similar circumstances against a six-year-old.

‘I consider it appropriate to consider that in relation to your level of dangerousness – however I don’t consider it necessary to categorise you as a dangerous offender.

‘At the age of 52 this is your first custodial sentence. You pleaded guilty one week before your trial. The child had been expecting to come to court but didn’t have to in the end – although this child was under significant stress.

‘I have heard the mother’s victim impact statement read to the court it speaks of the child being withdrawn and quiet and she having lost her beautiful girl. I do not underestimate the effect on this young girl or her family.

‘There was some coercion of the 12-year-old brother. It can be described as a sustained incident if it went for for 30 minutes. The aggravating features are the location and timing of the incident – in the child’s bedroom at night where she was entitled to feel safe and secure.’

After the case Detective Constable Craig Bowring said: ‘These were disgusting incidents – Bosheya satisfied his perverted sexual desires by targeting an innocent young girl.

‘Bosheya is now a convicted paedophile who is going to serve a long custodial sentence. The family are relieved that this ordeal is over, however it may have a lifelong impact on the victim.

‘I would like to commend the young girl for her bravery in speaking to police officers. Despite the tragic circumstances, she greatly assisted us with our enquiries and helped us to secure Bosheya’s conviction and subsequently, this result.

‘On behalf of the family, I would like to thank St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Manchester and Children’s Social Services for their continued support.

‘I would also like to use this opportunity to say that Greater Manchester Police takes all reports of this kind extremely seriously and officers are committed to launching thorough investigations which ultimately bring perpetrators to face justice.’