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| Man jailed indefinitely for drugging and raping three children | Man jailed indefinitely for drugging and raping three children |
| (7 days later) | |
| A man who drugged three young children before raping them and forcing them to engage in sexual activity with each other has been jailed indefinitely. | A man who drugged three young children before raping them and forcing them to engage in sexual activity with each other has been jailed indefinitely. |
| Darren Mackrell, 45, subjected two boys aged eight and 10 and a nine-year-old girl to a six-hour ordeal at his flat in Southampton after befriending one of the children at a park. | Darren Mackrell, 45, subjected two boys aged eight and 10 and a nine-year-old girl to a six-hour ordeal at his flat in Southampton after befriending one of the children at a park. |
| The judge, Gary Burrell QC, sentenced Mackrell to an indeterminate sentence for public protection and said he had "plumbed the depths of human depravity". | The judge, Gary Burrell QC, sentenced Mackrell to an indeterminate sentence for public protection and said he had "plumbed the depths of human depravity". |
| A pre-sentence report said Mackrell's danger to children "could not be overstated". The judge told Mackrell it would be 10 years before he could be considered for parole and he might never be released if he was still considered a danger. | A pre-sentence report said Mackrell's danger to children "could not be overstated". The judge told Mackrell it would be 10 years before he could be considered for parole and he might never be released if he was still considered a danger. |
| Winchester crown court heard that all three children had been left traumatised by what Mackrell did to them. The girl had not been able to tell anyone what happened, and one of the boys had self-harmed and written suicide notes. | Winchester crown court heard that all three children had been left traumatised by what Mackrell did to them. The girl had not been able to tell anyone what happened, and one of the boys had self-harmed and written suicide notes. |
| As Mackrell was led away, one of the victims' mothers shouted from the public gallery: "I will find you, you fucking piece of shit." | As Mackrell was led away, one of the victims' mothers shouted from the public gallery: "I will find you, you fucking piece of shit." |
| The court was told that after luring the children to his flat, Mackrell, a drug addict, forced them to strip, smoke cannabis and take amphetamine, temazepam and Viagra. He raped all three and forced them to engage in sexual activity with him and each other. | The court was told that after luring the children to his flat, Mackrell, a drug addict, forced them to strip, smoke cannabis and take amphetamine, temazepam and Viagra. He raped all three and forced them to engage in sexual activity with him and each other. |
| He played hardcore pornographic films and threatened to hurt the children when they tried to leave, showing one boy a large hunting knife. | He played hardcore pornographic films and threatened to hurt the children when they tried to leave, showing one boy a large hunting knife. |
| A mother tracked her son down to Mackrell's flat and when she did not get a reply she called the police. An officer saw the pornographic video playing through the letterbox and tried to break in. Eventually one of the boys opened the door. | A mother tracked her son down to Mackrell's flat and when she did not get a reply she called the police. An officer saw the pornographic video playing through the letterbox and tried to break in. Eventually one of the boys opened the door. |
| Mackrell admitted a total of 18 charges of raping the three children, sexually assaulting them, causing them to engage in sexual activity, forcing them to watch a sexual act and administering drugs. | Mackrell admitted a total of 18 charges of raping the three children, sexually assaulting them, causing them to engage in sexual activity, forcing them to watch a sexual act and administering drugs. |
| The judge said he understood the mother's outburst in court. He told Mackrell: "It's a parent's worst nightmare to lose a child. As a parent, when a child goes missing you fear the worst, you fear something bad has happened to them. Something bad did happen to these three young children on that day: your behaviour towards them. You drugged them and you stupefied them with cannabis, amphetamine, temazepam and Viagra and raped them for your own sexual gratification. | The judge said he understood the mother's outburst in court. He told Mackrell: "It's a parent's worst nightmare to lose a child. As a parent, when a child goes missing you fear the worst, you fear something bad has happened to them. Something bad did happen to these three young children on that day: your behaviour towards them. You drugged them and you stupefied them with cannabis, amphetamine, temazepam and Viagra and raped them for your own sexual gratification. |
| "They were very, very young – eight, nine and 10 – and they were vulnerable, and you took advantage of their innocence because they were so drugged you were able, in effect, to do whatever you wanted. There is no room for mercy in a case as horrifying as this." | "They were very, very young – eight, nine and 10 – and they were vulnerable, and you took advantage of their innocence because they were so drugged you were able, in effect, to do whatever you wanted. There is no room for mercy in a case as horrifying as this." |
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