Former parish council chairman jailed for 17 years for rape and sexual assault of children

Mark McCormick, who was the chair of Bursledon Parish Council, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for a string of sexual offenses against children. He previously pleaded guilty to 14 indecent assaults between 1997 and 2011, including the rape of a 16-year-old girl and inciting boys under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity.

The 49-year-old was sentenced by Judge Nicholas Rowland at Southampton Crown Court, who described McCormick as having "controlled and manipulated" his victims, many of whom were vulnerable and came from "destructive homes."

"They were excited about being associated to someone who was living a glamorous lifestyle," Judge Rowland said.

McCormick, a prominent figure in Bursledon, stepped down from his public role in 2017, after being re-elected chairman of the parish council in May 2016. He was also a freelance DJ.

He was sentenced for one count of rape, three of indecent activity with a child, three counts of multiple incidents of indecent assault on a child, five of indecent assault on a male person, one of sexual assault and one count of taking indecent photographs of a child.