Man sentenced to 32 years after fleeing to Ireland

A man convicted of multiple sexual offences against children has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after fleeing to Ireland to evade justice. Jason Spence, 38, of Pudsey, Leeds, was sentenced on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at Leeds Crown Court to an extended sentence of 32 years, comprising 24 years in custody and eight years on licence.

Spence was found guilty following a trial of a series of crimes against four victims, all of whom were under 13 years old at the time of the offences. His convictions included four counts of assault, five counts of assault by touching, and offences related to making and possessing indecent images of children. The court heard that the victims included both boys and girls, with some as young as one to four years old, and that Spence had filmed some of the abuse.

After being released on conditional bail on April 2 ahead of sentencing, Spence failed to attend court on April 16. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he remained at large for 33 days before being located and arrested in Mallow, County Cork, by Irish police working in cooperation with West Yorkshire Police. He was subsequently returned to the United Kingdom.