Peterborough support worker jailed for more than 12 years for sexual activity with woman with learning disability

A support worker from Peterborough has been jailed for more than 12 years after being found guilty of sexual activity with a woman with a learning disability.
JAILED: Michael RoweJAILED: Michael Rowe
JAILED: Michael Rowe

Michael Rowe, 49, of Manor Close in Langtoft, was arrested in September 2016 after an allegation of rape was made against him.

The court heard how on 11 February 2016, Rowe, who had worked as a support worker for MENCAP up until January that year, met the victim, a woman he previously supported.

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He took her to the Sir Henry Royce pub in central Peterborough where he persuaded her to go to a hotel with him and engage in sexual activity.

During police interviews and throughout the trial, Rowe maintained that he and the victim had just talked in the hotel room.

Yesterday (Monday June 18), Rowe was found guilty of sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice, following at five-day trial at Cambridge Crown Court. He was then sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison.

He has also been made subject of an indefinite restraining order against the victim and has been disqualified for life from working with any vulnerable adult or child.

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During sentence Judge Cooper said that Rowe had abused the trust the victim had in him and deliberately isolated her.

Detective Constable Pippa Burns, from the Adult Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit (AAISU), said: “This was an upsetting case involving a victim with a learning disability. The victim thought Rowe, her previous support worker, was a person she could trust, he abused that trust taking advantage of her willingness to comply and lack of understanding.

“The sentence given reflects the impact the incident has had on the victim which I hope will go a long way in making her feel safe again.”