Northampton man jailed for 15 years for sexually abusing young girl
Melvyn Peter Brown abused the child over an 11-year period
A 60-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing a child over an 11-year period in Northampton.
Melvyn Peter Brown, previously of Northampton, began grooming the child when she was five years old.
Brown raped the victim for first time when she was around 10 years old, and the abuse continued until she turned 16.
The abuse was reported to the police at the end of last year, prompting an investigation that led to Brown’s arrest and eventual charges.
Brown faced trial at Northampton Crown Court in May 2025.
He admitted to seven offences before and during the trial, including engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, indecent assault on a girl under 14, assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, and inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
A jury took approximately four hours to deliver verdicts on additional charges, finding Brown guilty of nine more offences.
These included indecent assault, assault by penetration, sexual assault, sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, sexual activity with a child aged 13-15, and sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16.
Brown returned to Northampton Crown Court on 5th January 2026 for sentencing.
He was handed a 15-year prison term for the 16 offences.
Detective Sergeant Chelsea Noble, the lead investigator with the SOLAR team, described the abuse as "truly terrible" and praised the survivor's courage throughout the investigation.
“The abuse perpetrated against this girl at the hands of Melvyn Brown was truly terrible and so I am very pleased to see him jailed for 15 years," Noble said.
“Although no sentence can ever make up for what she was put through, I hope the fact that her abuser is now behind bars provides her with some comfort. She has been so brave in supporting our investigation and I hope she feels proud of the courage she has shown."