Merseyside Man Given 16-Years Custodial Sentence for Repeated Child Sexual Abuse

A Merseyside man who consistently sexually abused a girl from when she was 9 until she was 15 has been given a 16-year custodial sentence in total.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that Mark Jacobson, now 45,  started abusing the girl when he was 19 – he was ten years older than his victim.

The girl trusted him but he systematically groomed, exploited and conditioned her to think that what he was asking her to do to him was normal. He taught her how to perform sexual acts on him and he also sexually assaulted her. The assaults were repeated over several years.

He was interviewed in June 2022 but answered ‘no comment’ to all questions asked at that time. He pleaded Not Guilty to 16 counts of sexual assault on a child but was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court on 26 September 2023 on all counts after a trial.

On 2nd November 2023 at Liverpool Crown Court, he was sentenced on each count to 8 years – 6 years custody with an extended licence period of 2 years. The total sentence is a 16-year custodial sentence. He was also deemed to be a dangerous individual.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Lydia Durkin, a lawyer in the CPS Mersey Cheshire Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) unit, said: “Mark Jacobson is a dangerous, predatory paedophile.

“He, like so many sexual offenders, put his warped desires ahead of any feelings or consideration for his victim. His behaviour has absolutely and undoubtedly traumatised her which was evidenced by her demeanour in her interviews with the police and her Victim Impact statement.

“She has suffered nightmares and would wake up screaming. This pain has been on-going for several years. She has undergone counselling but feels that she can no longer trust men and feels sick at the thought of being touched.

“The CPS prosecuted Jacobson in 2021 for other child sex offences for which he is serving a custodial sentence. We used this information as bad character in this case to allow for a heavier sentence to be imposed. I think it’s poignant that a consecutive sentence was imposed to reflect this offending as this is a prolific offender. This means that he will serve this sentence after he finishes his sentence for the other offences. He will stay in prison for a very long time.

“The Crown Prosecution Service encourages all victims of crime, especially those who are victims of sexual offences, to come forward. You will be listened to and each and every case is carefully considered and dealt with appropriately."