AARON SCANLON AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN NORTHUMBERLAND AND DARLINGTON
A convicted sex offender, Aaron Scanlon, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after traveling over 100 miles from his residence in Rochdale to commit a sexual assault in Darlington.The incident took place when Scanlon arrived at the victim’s house shortly after 8 a.m.
He had previously established a relationship with the girl through “lengthy phone calls,” during which he expressed love for her.
This grooming process allowed him to manipulate and gain her trust over time.
On the day of the assault, after the girl left her home, Scanlon initially told her he intended to take her to school.
However, instead of following through on this plan, he drove her to a secluded layby where he then committed a sexual assault against her without her consent.
The girl later confided in school staff about what had happened, alerting authorities.
Following the assault, Scanlon drove back to Rochdale.
It was during this journey that police officers arrested him.
Subsequently, he was formally charged with multiple serious offences, including assault by penetration and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent.
This case was particularly notable due to Scanlon’s criminal history.
He had a prior conviction for sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 back in 2010.
His current residence was listed as Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland, although he was previously known to reside in Rochdale.
During the legal proceedings, Scanlon pleaded guilty to the charges presented against him.
His sentencing took place at Teesside Crown Court last week where he was handed a sentence of 15 years and one month behind bars.
Temporary Detective Sergeant Ian Banham, who is part of the Darlington Safeguarding Team, issued a statement emphasizing the danger posed by Scanlon.
He described him as a “dangerous individual” who targeted the girl after grooming her extensively over phone calls, deliberately arranging to inflict harm without regard for the devastating impact it would have on her life.
Detective Banham expressed hope that the lengthy sentence would offer the victim some measure of closure and enable her to begin the difficult process of rebuilding her life after such a traumatic event.
