One of the composers behind the popular MMO RuneScape video game is in a heap of trouble. Taylor was sentenced by the Peterborough Crown Court in England to 22 months in prison. He admitted to assaulting a girl under the age of 12 last year, citing alcohol as a contributing factor.
Per a report from the Cambridge Independent, Taylor, a 53-year-old resident of Cambridge, drunkenly assaulted a minor in December 2020. The young girl reportedly told a family member about the incident in the aftermath. He later confessed during a police interrogation. When questioned regarding whether or not his actions were OK, he claimed he’d been battling depression at the time. He also said he was drunk at the time of the alleged assault.
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Afterward, Taylor was served with a document explaining to him that he would be brought up on charges of assaulting a girl under the age of 13. During the hearing, he admitted to the offense. In addition to serving 22 months, Taylor will also have to register for the Sex Offenders Register 10 years.
“A sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), previously known as a sexual offense prevention order (SOPO), is a court order that can be requested by the police, or court when there is a specific concern about an individual. This court order will be requested to prevent a person from engaging in a particular activity,” Stop It Now reports.
Per a statement from RuneScape developer Jagex to Kotaku, Ian Taylor was dismissed from the company in March 2021 as a result of his crime.
“Jagex expects the highest standards from its staff and we act decisively if those values that we hold dear are not reflected in the behavior of employees, the statement reads in part. “The person in question no longer works at Jagex, and was dismissed when the circumstances of the allegations came to light in March 2021. We have conducted an internal review of the employee’s interactions with staff and any players he may have come into contact with during his time at Jagex. We have found no evidence that might prompt further investigation at this time.”
