Overview
- Ethan Towers and John Watson received life sentences Wednesday at Cambridge Crown Court, with minimum terms of 12 years 5 months for Towers and 13 years 4 months for Watson.
- Towers, from St Ives, raped a baby five times last summer, and Watson, from Westcliff-on-Sea, encouraged the abuse.
- Digital evidence showed Towers sent indecent images of children to Watson, and Watson, already under a sexual harm prevention order, exchanged explicit material with another child and admitted image and sexual communication offences.
- Judge Mark Bishop called the pair dangerous and noted the extreme youth of the victim, while imposing restraining orders and a £228 victim surcharge.
- Victim statements described deep ongoing harm, including the baby's mother feeling more isolated and fearful, and police said they had referred the case to safeguarding authorities.