A VILE pervert who sneaked into homes and sexually assaulted young girls and an elderly woman has been sentenced to 20 years.

In a reign of terror spanning nearly eight years Jason Bursk, a 51-year-old former Israeli soldier, entered properties in the Radcliffe area in the middle of the night with the intention of sexually abusing girls and women.

In one encounter a nine-year-old girl buried her head in her teddy bear as taxi-driver Bursk tried to rape her in her bedroom and called her a”brat”.

He only ran off after the girl’s younger sister bravely tried to push him away and the girls raised the alarm with their mother.

At Minshull Street Crown Court Judge John Potter told Bursk: “Your convictions in these proceedings show you to be a deviant sexual predator who presents a significant danger to those who live in a community close to you.”

Bursk will spend up to 15 years behind bars and a further five years on licence after pleading guilty to 11 offences, committed between January 2012 and November 2019.

They included four counts of trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence, three counts of attempting to trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, two offences of sexually assaulting a child under 13, attempted rape of a child and sexual assault.

Bursk, of Overton Close, Radcliffe, was finally caught after he was captured on CCTV on November 15 last year and police released images to the public in the hope of identifying him. 

After a night out boozing with mates in Manchester on November 14 Bursk got a taxi to drop him off some distance away from his home and he began trying doors of houses on Albion Street.

At a third house he got in through patio doors and spent half an hour inside as the family slept.

Smoking an e-cigarette, He went into the bedroom where two young girls were and sexually assaulted one of them, licking her body and attempting to rape her.

“It clearly shows the depths of depravity you were willing to indulge for your own sexual gratification,” Judge Potter told Bursk.

Andrew Ford, prosecuting, told how Bursk had begun his offending in 2012 when he sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl who was spending the night at his home, removing her clothing and shining his phone light on her backside.

Then, on the night of November 14, 2018, a 78-year-old woman woke to find Bursk in her bedroom at 2.20am. He removed her clothing and put a hand over her mouth to stop her screaming and only ran off when she kicked out at him.

The court heard that, shortly after the attack, the pensioner had to move to a care home.

Three other Radcliffe residents found Bursk in their properties on April 5 last year and July 13. Bursk fled, but one angry home owner followed him, filming him.

The court heard that Bursk’s victims have been significantly affected by what the judge described as his “campaign of sexual offences”.

Sarah Johnston, defending, said Bursk had been abused himself as a child and had suffered traumatic experiences while serving  in the Israeli army. But Judge Potter told him: “There can be no excuse whatsover for your wicked, depraved and predatory behaviour.”

Bursk was placed on the sex offenders’ register and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Following the sentencing Det Supt Howard Millington, who led the investigation, said: “I would like to pay tribute to the victims of these horrific sexual ordeals who have shown great levels of dignity, co-operation and patience during this whole process to finally get the justice that they deserve.

 

“They have been through harrowing circumstances but have shown admirable strength and courage to ensure that this man has received the justice he deserves. 

“In addition I want to thank the victims’ families for their unwavering support during this investigation and also our local partner agencies and specialist officers who have provided excellent support for the victims throughout.

“This was a meticulous investigation which has led to this result and I would particularly like to thank my team on this case including DS Andy Wright and his detectives in Bury CID, along with specialist crime colleagues, and to the CPS for the lengths they all went to, so that Bursk has been prosecuted for the full scale of his offending.

“Jason Bursk is an extremely dangerous sexual predator who would seek opportunities to commit shocking sexual acts on innocent members of the public who were vulnerable due to their age and I am now satisfied that Radcliffe is a much safer place without this individual roaming our streets.

“The sexual offending towards two young girls and an elderly lady will have shocked our community and there’s no doubt Bursk endeavoured for further gross activity to take place but was thankfully unable to do so, due to this investigation. 

“This case epitomises our commitment in Greater Manchester Police to ensuring that all potential victims of serious crimes of this nature get justice no matter what. It is important that anyone who has been affected by this case contacts the police with the knowledge that information will be treated with the strictest confidence.”

If you have been affected by this case, and want to speak with police, then you can contact officers directly in confidence on 0161 856 9172.