http://www.wmur.com/news/9428686/detail.html
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BRENTWOOD, N.H. -- A tae kwon do instructor was sentenced to up to 35 years in prison Monday after he was found guilty of 12 felony sexual assault charges involving a 15-year-old girl.
The judge described the charges against Keith Ingraham, of Newmarket, N.H., as "rank" and "heinous." Ingraham was a tae kwon do instructor for troubled kids, and his victim was a student in his class.
Prosecutors detailed Ingraham's relationship with the victim, saying that he referred to her as his wife. The girl and her stepmother testified during sentencing that Ingraham betrayed their trust.
"You were supposed to be a figure in our community for your students to look up to for guidance and support when they were having a tough time with life itself," the victim's stepmother said. "But in reality, you were just a sick, manipulative monster using your authority and black belt as a tool to prey on our daughter for your sexual fantasies."
Ingraham's victim said that the assaults have affected her relationships at school.
"There are rumors about me at school, and there are kids who say mean things to me," she said. "All this and all the emotions I go through make it so hard to concentrate on my schoolwork. It makes me want to be emotionless and hide my feelings inside because I'm afraid that if I cry or show emotion or show weakness, I will be taken advantage of."
Ingraham also read a statement in court. He said the victim was strong and excelled in his class, even becoming an instructor and role model. Because of that, he said, she couldn't be a victim.
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
BRENTWOOD, N.H. -- A tae kwon do instructor was sentenced to up to 35 years in prison Monday after he was found guilty of 12 felony sexual assault charges involving a 15-year-old girl.
The judge described the charges against Keith Ingraham, of Newmarket, N.H., as "rank" and "heinous." Ingraham was a tae kwon do instructor for troubled kids, and his victim was a student in his class.
Prosecutors detailed Ingraham's relationship with the victim, saying that he referred to her as his wife. The girl and her stepmother testified during sentencing that Ingraham betrayed their trust.
"You were supposed to be a figure in our community for your students to look up to for guidance and support when they were having a tough time with life itself," the victim's stepmother said. "But in reality, you were just a sick, manipulative monster using your authority and black belt as a tool to prey on our daughter for your sexual fantasies."
Ingraham's victim said that the assaults have affected her relationships at school.
"There are rumors about me at school, and there are kids who say mean things to me," she said. "All this and all the emotions I go through make it so hard to concentrate on my schoolwork. It makes me want to be emotionless and hide my feelings inside because I'm afraid that if I cry or show emotion or show weakness, I will be taken advantage of."
Ingraham also read a statement in court. He said the victim was strong and excelled in his class, even becoming an instructor and role model. Because of that, he said, she couldn't be a victim.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071221/NEWS/712210367
Victims sue town
Claim officials should have known
Former karate instructor Keith Ingraham is serving up to 35 years on sexual assault charges.
By Karen Dandurant
[email protected]
December 21, 2007 2:00 AM
NEWMARKET — Two 12-count civil lawsuits were filed in Rockingham County Superior Court this week against the town of Newmarket, its School District and Police Department alleging town officials neglected to protect two young girls from being victimized by a sexual predator over a period of at least five years.
The suits were filed Tuesday on behalf of Krystal Fowler and Ashley Yurtseven, both 18, by attorney Peter Hutchins.
Both were victimized by their former karate instructor, Keith M. Ingraham, 56, formerly of Newmarket.
Ingraham, convicted in 2006, is serving up to 35 years in prison for aggravated felonious sexual assault and child pornography.
Ingraham owned the Newmarket Blackbelt Academy and taught in the school and through the town's recreation department.
Hutchins said a background check was never conducted before Ingraham was hired. During his trial, it was discovered he had a long criminal history, Hutchins said.
Ingraham was arrested May 25, 2005. Hutchins said police knew in 2004 he was behaving inappropriately with the young women and that it was reported to high school Principal Deborah Brooks, by staff and the first victim's parents, but no action was taken.
Superintendent Kathleen Murphy declined comment and referred questions to the district's attorney John Fagan, who said he didn't feel it was appropriate for lawyers on either side to comment on a case in litigation.
"This happened from the sixth-grade through high school," Hutchins said. "He robbed the girls of their childhoods, so in my opinion, there's not enough money in Newmarket to compensate them, but what there is, I am going after."
A civil case has a lower burden of proof than a criminal case. Hutchins said Newmarket has a municipal liability cap, currently at $275,000.
"If they carry insurance, the cap can be raised," he said. "Plus, there are three separate defendants. Even if we add the three caps up, I don't think it's nearly enough for what the girls went through."
The second suit, filed by Fowler, is similar to the first in alleging police and school officials should have seen red flags over the long period of sexual abuse from 2000 to 2005.
Both suits allege Newmarket officials were negligent in not taking action to protect the victims.
While both suits allege sexual abuse, Fowler's also describes a relationship that turned violent after she began to resist Ingraham's advances.
"It got very physically abusive," Hutchins said. "It was toward the end game, when she started to resist. He started to believe she was about to disclose, not knowing she already had.
"He also started a campaign to say she was a habitual liar, so that when it came out, her credibility would be in question. This was much more brutal than the first victim, even though both are horrific in what happened to them."
Fowler's injuries from Ingraham included a broken wrist, injuries to her thumb, ankle and ribs, excessive bruising and a black eye, Hutchins said.
The suit alleges Ingraham would yell at her, kick her and make derogatory comments to her during classes.
As with many victims of sexual abuse, Hutchins said it's no surprise it took a long time for them to speak out about their abuse.
"A good predator creates a child who rejects their parents, is alienated from them, maybe runs away," he said.
"He seizes control, climbs into the kid's mind. He tells them not to tell their parents. Often they pick a child with a dysfunctional or troubled family," he said.
As with Yurtseven's suit, Fowler's suit alleges police were investigating Ingraham long before he was arrested and that Brooks was informed about Ingraham acting inappropriately, but she took no action.
Victims sue town
Claim officials should have known
Former karate instructor Keith Ingraham is serving up to 35 years on sexual assault charges.
By Karen Dandurant
[email protected]
December 21, 2007 2:00 AM
NEWMARKET — Two 12-count civil lawsuits were filed in Rockingham County Superior Court this week against the town of Newmarket, its School District and Police Department alleging town officials neglected to protect two young girls from being victimized by a sexual predator over a period of at least five years.
The suits were filed Tuesday on behalf of Krystal Fowler and Ashley Yurtseven, both 18, by attorney Peter Hutchins.
Both were victimized by their former karate instructor, Keith M. Ingraham, 56, formerly of Newmarket.
Ingraham, convicted in 2006, is serving up to 35 years in prison for aggravated felonious sexual assault and child pornography.
Ingraham owned the Newmarket Blackbelt Academy and taught in the school and through the town's recreation department.
Hutchins said a background check was never conducted before Ingraham was hired. During his trial, it was discovered he had a long criminal history, Hutchins said.
Ingraham was arrested May 25, 2005. Hutchins said police knew in 2004 he was behaving inappropriately with the young women and that it was reported to high school Principal Deborah Brooks, by staff and the first victim's parents, but no action was taken.
Superintendent Kathleen Murphy declined comment and referred questions to the district's attorney John Fagan, who said he didn't feel it was appropriate for lawyers on either side to comment on a case in litigation.
"This happened from the sixth-grade through high school," Hutchins said. "He robbed the girls of their childhoods, so in my opinion, there's not enough money in Newmarket to compensate them, but what there is, I am going after."
A civil case has a lower burden of proof than a criminal case. Hutchins said Newmarket has a municipal liability cap, currently at $275,000.
"If they carry insurance, the cap can be raised," he said. "Plus, there are three separate defendants. Even if we add the three caps up, I don't think it's nearly enough for what the girls went through."
The second suit, filed by Fowler, is similar to the first in alleging police and school officials should have seen red flags over the long period of sexual abuse from 2000 to 2005.
Both suits allege Newmarket officials were negligent in not taking action to protect the victims.
While both suits allege sexual abuse, Fowler's also describes a relationship that turned violent after she began to resist Ingraham's advances.
"It got very physically abusive," Hutchins said. "It was toward the end game, when she started to resist. He started to believe she was about to disclose, not knowing she already had.
"He also started a campaign to say she was a habitual liar, so that when it came out, her credibility would be in question. This was much more brutal than the first victim, even though both are horrific in what happened to them."
Fowler's injuries from Ingraham included a broken wrist, injuries to her thumb, ankle and ribs, excessive bruising and a black eye, Hutchins said.
The suit alleges Ingraham would yell at her, kick her and make derogatory comments to her during classes.
As with many victims of sexual abuse, Hutchins said it's no surprise it took a long time for them to speak out about their abuse.
"A good predator creates a child who rejects their parents, is alienated from them, maybe runs away," he said.
"He seizes control, climbs into the kid's mind. He tells them not to tell their parents. Often they pick a child with a dysfunctional or troubled family," he said.
As with Yurtseven's suit, Fowler's suit alleges police were investigating Ingraham long before he was arrested and that Brooks was informed about Ingraham acting inappropriately, but she took no action.