Man who raped three women at care home jailed

A care assistant who filmed himself sexually assaulting three elderly women at a residential home has been jailed for 21 years.

Joshua Springer, 35, pleaded guilty to 12 offences, including six counts of rape at the home in Lincolnshire, three further rape charges relating to a woman elsewhere in the country, and three counts of making indecent images of children.

Springer, who is also known as Joshua Kearney and Joshua Kearney-Springer, of Cornstall Buildings, Stamford, was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday.

Passing sentence, Judge Simon Hirst said Springer's offending was aggravated by the severe psychological harm he caused and the vulnerability of his victims.

"Each of these four women were vulnerable in their particular ways," the judge said, adding there was a gross breach of trust.

"I have read and heard the impact on each of the families from what you have done for no other reason than your own sexual gratification," he added.

Springer must also serve an extended licence period of six years on his release, obey the terms of a sexual harm prevention order and register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The court heard the offending came to light on 18 June last year when a colleague walked in on Springer as he was abusing one of his victims.

Springer was suspended and escorted from the premises, and was later arrested on suspicion of rape.

Further incidents came to light when Springer's mother disclosed messages and conversations to the police on 22 July, the court was told.

Footage of one his attacks on an elderly victim was subsequently recovered, along with hundreds of indecent images of children, including five babies.

Impact statements from the victims' relatives, who cannot be named, were read out in court.

The husband of one of the victims said she had been in no position to keep herself safe.

"She was at her most vulnerable," he said.

The son of another victim described how his mother became withdrawn and unsettled after being attacked.

"We thought she would be safe from harm," he added.

The mother of Springer's youngest victim also described how his "reprehensible actions" impacted her daughter.

Anna Soubry, mitigating, said: "Frankly there is not a lot to say on his behalf.

"Sometimes there is an explanation, but in this case there is not."

Det Ch Insp Jennifer Lovatt paid tribute to the "women at the centre of this case and their families".

"Springer's actions show a clear lack of human decency and respect for the victims he targeted," she said.

"He abused a position of trust and used the access he had to attack some of the most vulnerable people in our society."

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