Man sexually assaulted children in Sacriston, Durham

A 74-year-old man, Michael Moran, has been sentenced for sexually assaulting two young children in Sacriston, near Durham. The assaults happened in August while the children, both under 10, were playing outside. The court heard that the children now live in fear and suffer from nightmares due to the incidents. Moran, who has a previous conviction for rape in the 1980s, approached the children while they played and later returned disguised in a hat. He began dancing with them and then inappropriately touched them. Their parents quickly confronted him and he was arrested shortly after at a bus stop. The mothers of the victims described the devastating effect on their children's lives. One mother shared that her child used to be happy and adventurous but is now scared to go outside. Another mother expressed anger, stating that Moran had "ruined" their children's lives. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Moran is experiencing memory issues and may have early onset dementia. The judge noted the trauma inflicted on the children and expressed hope they would regain their sense of safety in time. Despite his previous convictions and the nature of the crime, Moran was given a two-year community order instead of jail time. The judge noted that he had already spent seven months in custody, which counted towards his sentence. Moran is also under a five-year sexual harm prevention order, restricting him from contacting children under 16 and from entering the area where the victims live.