How one detective's suspicions unravelled the lies of a child abuser and his brother

It would be fair to assume that, in his role as a detective, Matt Gibson comes across a number of criminals trying to pull the wool over his eyes.

But his ongoing suspicion around a sex offender, who faked being severely disabled, eventually saw him unravel a conspiracy that even he had never encountered before.

Allegations of sex offences against three boys in Leicestershire were first levelled at John Siddell in June 2021.

In response, John, aided by his brother James, presented to police as being unable to walk or talk. He implied he had suffered a stroke and could therefore not have committed the offences due to his disability.

These claims nearly derailed the investigation and formed the basis of his defence, which persisted through a trial of the facts - a hearing in court that determines whether a defendant committed the alleged act without establishing criminal guilt.

However, Det Con Gibson remained sceptical.

And finally in April 2024, a chance encounter with the brothers saw Gibson's suspicions justified.

When John's files first came across Gibson's desk, the detective was based in Leicestershire Police's child abuse investigation unit.

John had been accused of abusing three boys under the age of 14 while living in the county.

He was brought in for questioning twice, at first giving limited responses and then a no comment interview on the second occasion.

Despite this, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised 17 charges against John, from Ashington in Northumberland.

His older brother James, also from Ashington, spoke to police to say John could not have carried out the crimes, due to his serious mobility problems.

John presented as immobile and mute, with his head shifting to one side.

With a trial due to take place, James repeatedly spoke for John to say he could not attend hearings for medical reasons, at one point claiming John had suffered a number of "mini-strokes".

But this would later prove to be a pack of lies.

Gibson said: "As the case progressed, it became obvious that whenever there was any kind of hearing that was going to take place, there were reasons why John couldn't be present.

"We knew that wasn't the case, because we had access to his medical records and that started to raise suspicion that things weren't quite right."

The judge in the case had ruled two forensic psychiatric assessments should be carried out to determine John's fitness to stand trial.

Again, during these assessments, John was unresponsive and immobile, with his head slumped and eyes closed, and James speaking for him and providing evidence.

Both experts ruled John was not fit to stand trial, but a trial of the facts was held in March 2024 - with a jury taking 39 minutes to find that he had, in all likelihood, committed the offences.

With a further psychiatric assessment needed by the prosecution a month later, prosecutor Nicola Potts asked Gibson to travel up to Northumberland in person to stop James influencing the hearing.

By chance, Gibson arrived early at a solicitor's office in Blyth, Northumberland, and was stunned to see the pair chatting outside, with John sitting "upright and alert" as he was being pushed along the street.

This chance encounter was the beginning of the end for the pair's planned and calculated deception.

Gibson said: "I went up for the assessment, I managed to get there a little bit early, and as I was walking to the solicitor's office where it was taking place, I was able to see James pushing John in a wheelchair towards me about 50 metres away.

"John was sat upright with his eyes open, and at that point I thought we might actually be able to get a report done.

"I went into the office and within a matter of minutes, James pushed John in and John was completely comatose with his head lying on his side, his eyes closed and mute in effect, didn't say anything. And he remained that way throughout."

Despite the façade, the assessing doctor noted that John was "mute of malice" - meaning he was deliberately choosing not to speak, and a decision was made to investigate the pair for perverting the course of justice.

What followed shocked the team, whose job was to prove John was able to be held accountable for his crimes.

Police would go on to learn that the pair attended two Elvis Presley tribute nights at the Northern Social Club near their homes in May.

They also visited the same club to watch Newcastle United games - and John even attended the St James' Park stadium during the same period.

"I managed to find a witness who said they were chatting away - there were no wheelchairs, no crutches, and John was able to communicate," Gibson said.

Speaking to the social club, it became apparent John was a regular - on one occasion being communicative enough to sell domino cards to another person, all captured on CCTV.

"Of course, to be able to sell something, you've got to be able to talk," Gibson added.

In July 2024, John reported a sudden deterioration in his health - a day before a scheduled court assessment.

But staff found nothing medically wrong with him and he was sent to spend two weeks in a rehabilitation unit.

Gibson said: "We had statements from medical staff to say he was chatty, he was walking around, he was using his mobile phone, making phone calls."

A statement from one of the medics who treated him described John as "the most verbal, non-verbal person I've ever met".

Following a warrant at John's home, police would later find CCTV to show that just 90 minutes after being discharged, he was in a taxi on the way to the social club for another night out.

And after his arrest, John continued to pretend to have a disability.

Gibson said: "They continued to try to keep up the façade, despite officers commenting that John was still holding his own weight when he was being moved, and at one point, although he was supposed to be unconscious, he still had the presence of mind to pull his T-shirt down, which was exposing his tummy.

"In the cells, he was trying to flip himself out of his wheelchair but after a few hours he kind of gave up on it and was walked to his first interview."

CCTV in court showed John was able to walk 50 metres from his cell to his interview room - where he gave no comment interviews.

"When we showed him the footage of him walking into the club, it was clear that the game was up. It was a little bit of rabbit in the headlights at that point," Gibson added.

The pair were charged in July 2024 and a month later, both John and James failed to appear in court, and had to be arrested after a warrant was issued.

On learning of the arrest warrant, James called for an ambulance for his brother and claimed he had fallen unwell on 14 August and could not walk. Both were found at hospital before being remanded in custody to await trial.

The pair ultimately pleaded guilty a month later, with John admitting 15 counts of child sexual abuse, and both admitting perverting the course of justice.

But in a last act of defiance to try and throw the case into jeopardy, John attempted to vacate his guilty pleas, which was rejected by a judge.

In a final insult to those John abused and the multiple agencies the pair conned, the brothers refused to leave their cells and did not attend their own sentencing hearing.

At Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday, John was sentenced to a total of 15 years imprisonment with an extended licence of two years. He was also handed a 20-year sexual harm prevention order.

James was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for perverting the course of justice.

Gibson added: "I don't like being lied to. And it's my job, I wanted to get some sort of closure for the victims.

"Not being told the truth is a daily occurrence but the level of planning and the protracted nature of this façade and lies is something I've not come across before.

"I think it was just to start with luck that I arrived early for an appointment, but from that point on it would always unravel.

"It's allowed us to ensure a criminal who has committed really serious sexual offences is now being held to the full account of the law."

Nicola Potts, from the CPS, added: "While much of the attention in this case will be the lies and antics of the Siddell brothers, at the heart of this are three victims of sexual abuse who had their childhood snatched from them by John Siddell's cruel manipulation.

"His cynical lies and the support he received from James was a further insult to these victims.

"Our dedication to giving them the justice they deserved has been absolute."

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