Man jailed after admitting rape of a ten-year-old girl in Burnley

A man has been jailed after admitting the rape of a ten-year-old girl in Burnley.

In 2021 Anthony Kingston raped and sexually assaulted the child in Burnley, and this week he was jailed for 14 and a half years following an investigation by Burnley CID.

Kingston’s offending came to light in February 2022 when the child victim bravely told staff at her primary school what Kingston had done to her.

Kingston was interviewed and denied any wrongdoing.

57-year-old Kingston, of Roundwood Avenue, Bradford, was later charged with a number of offences.

Having failed to attend court on two previous occasions either to start or complete his trial, Kingston pleaded guilty to the following offences part way through the third attempt at a trial at Preston Crown Court in January.

The offences were rape, two sexual assaults on a child under 13 and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was remanded into custody until yesterday’s sentencing hearing, where he was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for life.  

In a statement to the court the victim’s mum said: “My daughter used to be a happy, go lucky child, but this incident has affected her so much, she is a completely different person now to the girl she was before this crime happened to her.

‘’She used to be really good at school however, she often now gets in trouble. Again, I think this is as a result of what has happened to her, it has completely changed her as a person and taken away her innocence.”

She continued: “I went to court for the first time in October 2024 but the trial was adjourned as Tony didn't turn up. I went to court on a second occasion in July 2025 however, this trial was adjourned again after I had stood up and given my evidence, due to Tony not turning up mid-way through the trial.

‘’It was only halfway through the third trial in January 2026 did Tony decide to do the decent thing and plead guilty for the horrific things he did to my daughter. It's disgraceful that he has dragged our family through the courts for this length of time and he will never understand the effect this has had on us all.”

DC Carla Strang, from Burnley CID, said: “Anthony Kingston is a devious individual who isolated his victim, before committing abhorrent offences for his own sordid sexual gratification.

“His repulsive criminal conduct has had a significant impact on her. In his final act of cowardice and control he failed to attend court on two separate occasions, all while knowing the victim and her family would be there waiting to give evidence. And despite knowing what he had done, he waited until the third attempt at a trial before finally entering his guilty pleas.

“In complete contrast to Kingston, the victim has shown incredible bravery and strength throughout this process. I am pleased that after waiting nearly four years, she and her family have finally seen justice served.”

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a sexual offence report it online via https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/ or call 101.