Brothers who lied to evade justice in child abuse case have been jailed

John and James Siddell were sentenced at Leicester Crown Court today to a total of more than 17 years after police uncovered their calculated and prolonged deception.

Author: Claire EmmsPublished 4 hours ago

Two brothers who spent years fabricating lies to prevent justice in a child sex offence case have been jailed - thanks to the persistence of a Leicestershire detective.

John and James Siddell were sentenced at Leicester Crown Court today (Tuesday 12 May) to a total of more than 17 years after police uncovered their calculated and prolonged deception.

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For more than four years, the brothers went to extreme lengths to repeatedly mislead authorities about the severity of John’s health conditions – in order to prevent John from facing prosecution for a string of sex offences against three young boys.

Their deceit was uncovered thanks to the efforts of the officer in the case, DC Matt Gibson, whose suspicions arose following an encounter with the brothers in April 2024.

Working alongside the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), police carried out a deeper investigation – gathering a mountain of evidence, including CCTV footage, which consistently showed John walking, talking, and socialising, despite appearing completely incapacitated during court-ordered appointments.

In September last year, both men admitted their dishonesty and pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

James Siddell, 44, of Chestnut Street, Ashington, Northumberland, was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months.

John Siddell, 41, also of Chestnut Street, Ashington, Northumberland, was sentenced to a total of 15 years – 3 years and 2 months for perverting the course of justice and 11 years and 10 months for 15 child sex offences.

He is also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 20 years.

DC Gibson said: "This case shows the lengths some offenders will go to avoid justice. The brothers’ deception was calculated and sustained over several years, but through persistence and detailed investigation, we were able to expose the truth.

“Working closely with the CPS we were able to make sure the full scale of their offending was presented clearly before the court.”

In June 2021, police received reports of multiple child sexual offences committed by John Siddell against three boys in Leicestershire, between May 2018 and June 2021. At the time the offences were reported the boys were aged 8, 10, and 13.

John was interviewed in July and November 2021 but refused to answer any questions.

During this period, his brother James provided a statement to police claiming John could not have committed the offences due to severe mobility issues.

It was during this time the brothers moved from Leicestershire to Ashington in Northumberland.

In June 2022, following a detailed and lengthy investigation conducted by DC Gibson, John was charged with 17 offences against the boys – thanks to the joint working with Nicola Potts, District Crown Prosecutor for the CPS.

While police and prosecution prepared for trial, the brothers spent the next year manipulating medical professionals and the criminal justice system – falsely claiming John suffered from numerous physical and psychological conditions, including pretending he had suffered a stroke.

During this time, in February 2023 – just a matter of days before John was due in court, James requested a letter from John’s GP to excuse John from the hearing, claiming he was not well enough to travel to Leicester.

John also missed a court-ordered assessment in March 2023 after claiming to have suffered a mini-stroke.

These missed appointments prompted the court to order psychiatric assessments to determine John’s fitness to stand trial.

Assessments took place in April and June 2023, during which John sat silently in a wheelchair with his head tilted and eyes closed.

He did not interact with either of the psychiatrists carrying out the assessments. James told them John had deteriorated and was now completely mute and immobile.

As a result, in June 2023, the court ruled John unfit to plead or stand trial.

As is standard practice when a defendant is deemed unfit, a trial of facts was held at Leicester Crown Court in March 2024, where John was found to have committed all 17 child sex offences.

With suspicions regarding John’s health already beginning to emerge, prosecutor Nicola Potts ordered for a further psychiatric assessment be completed before an outcome was decided.

That assessment was scheduled for Monday 29 April 2024 in Blyth, Northumberland.

It was agreed DC Gibson would attend the meeting and it was here that the brothers’ lies began to unravel.

While travelling to the assessment in April 2024, the brothers were spotted outside the premises by DC Gibson.

He observed John sitting upright and alert in his wheelchair as James pushed him along the street.

Minutes later, inside the building, John appeared slumped with his head to one side and eyes closed – completely unresponsive throughout the assessment.

Despite this façade, the doctor noted in his report that John was “mute of malice,” meaning he was deliberately choosing not to speak.

Witnessing the stark contrast in John’s behaviour only minutes apart, DC Gibson started to investigate further.

Over the next 18 months, he worked tirelessly to gather evidence exposing the brothers’ lies.

Photos, CCTV footage, and witness statements revealed many of John’s alleged ailments were fabricated or exaggerated.

A clear pattern began to emerge that showed John would present as mute and immobile during court-ordered or medical appointments and would often seek medical intervention in the days before a court hearing in a bid to derail proceedings.

During the period the brothers’ claimed John was unfit to travel to Leicester for court, he had regularly attended the local social club – including attending an Elvis Presley tribute night.

Photos uncovered on his phone from around the same time also showed him out, socialising with others on a number of occasions.

Even after being declared unfit to stand trial in June 2023, photos showed John had been out drinking and socialising throughout August, September, and October.

The further DC Gibson investigated, the clearer the scale of the brothers’ lies became.

CCTV footage from June 2024 – just two months after his assessment in Blyth where he appeared completely incapacitated – captured John at this local social club, walking unaided and interacting with others.

That same month, he attended another medical assessment where James claimed John was mute and unable to speak.

In July 2024, the day before a psychiatric assessment, James called an ambulance claiming John had suffered a seizure and a possible stroke.

CCTV from the family’s home shows John being taken out to the ambulance, displaying as he had during his assessments.

Yet, a few hours earlier, another camera has captured John walking outside to collect the post – around the time James claimed he’d had his first seizure.

Despite the ruse continuing, a few weeks later, CCTV captured John at the social club on three consecutive nights, moving independently from his wheelchair and interacting with others.

At the end of July, DC Gibson, accompanied by other officers from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, attended the brothers’ home address, and arrested both men on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Even then, the pretence continued.

Police body worn video showed John lying down with his eyes closed before being helped into his wheelchair and resuming his mute persona. Yet, during transport, he was seen adjusting his clothing and later – while in custody – was unable to maintain the act.

DC Gibson added: “On the day I went to arrest John and James it was clear John was pretending to be mute and unresponsive. He was lying on the sofa in the living room with his eyes closed but I could see they were flickering. When he was helped into the police van by officers, he was seen pulling his t-shirt down after it had ridden up slightly. The whole situation felt rather staged.

“As the day went on, John was unable to remain in character and was observed at times carrying his own weight or trying to look around without being seen.

“Both men were interviewed. John refused to answer any questions - even when I questioned him about what I had witnessed in Blyth over a year before.

“James was interviewed by two other officers, and he continued with the fabricated story. He claimed John had ‘good days and bad days’ and his condition ‘comes and goes’.

“James also insisted ‘If John was putting it on, I would be the first to put my hands up’.”

Both men were released under investigation while DC Gibson and the CPS ensured the evidence they had uncovered was watertight.

In July of this year, both men were subsequently charged with perverting the course of justice.

The pair appeared at their first court hearing via video link, with John again feigning unresponsiveness - despite being seen at the social club playing bingo and watching football the day before.

After failing to appear in court on 14 August, a warrant was issued for their arrest. That same day, James had called an ambulance for John, and both were found at hospital before being remanded in custody to await trial.

In September last year, they both pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. John also pleaded guilty to to 15 of the child sex offences he was charged with in June 2022.

DC Gibson concluded: "It has taken more than four years for the victims and their family to have justice and some sense of closure.

“The lengths John Siddell went to in an attempt to avoid prison is truly shocking – and the fact his brother was also part of this elaborate plan makes it even more disturbing.

“I’m pleased justice has finally prevailed. The close working relationship between myself and Nicola from the CPS for the last four years has ensured that every lie was exposed and both men must now face the consequences of their actions.”

John Siddell was sentenced for the following 15 child sex offences:

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         Five counts of sexual assault 
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         Five counts of sexual assault of a child under 13

         Four counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity

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