ALAN FENTON'S SHOCKING CRIME IN LEICESTER: SEX ATTACK ON 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL REVERSED AT APPEAL
In October 2011, a disturbing case involving Alan Fenton, a postman from Leicester, captured public attention due to the severity of his crimes against a young girl.Fenton, aged 30 and formerly residing in Aylestone, Leicester, was convicted of a heinous sexual assault on a 12-year-old girl, an incident that left her so terrified she leapt from a first-floor window to escape her attacker.
Initially, Fenton admitted to engaging in sexual activity with a minor, which led to his being sentenced to an indefinite term of imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court in March of that year.
This type of sentence was designed for the most dangerous offenders, allowing the possibility of lifelong detention unless the Parole Board deemed them safe for release.
The judge at the time specified that Fenton would need to serve a minimum of four and a half years before being considered for parole.
However, in a significant legal development, Fenton’s case was brought before the Court of Appeal, where his barrister, Adrian Harris, argued that the original sentence was excessively harsh and not appropriate for his client’s circumstances.
Yesterday, a panel of three Appeal Court judges, including Mr Justice Holroyde, Lord Justice Hooper, and Mr Justice Supperstone, agreed with the appeal and overturned the indefinite sentence.
Instead, they imposed a fixed term of nine years in prison, complemented by five years of extended licence conditions upon his release, aimed at monitoring and managing his risk to the public.
In delivering the judgment, Mr Justice Holroyde emphasized the traumatic impact of Fenton’s actions on his young victim.
The court detailed that Fenton had forced the girl to strip to her waist, inappropriately touched her, and then coerced her into touching him.
During the assault, he threatened her, saying, “If you don’t do what I say, I’ll rape you,” which left her in a state of extreme fear.
The girl, overwhelmed by terror, seized an opportunity to escape by jumping out of a first-floor window, sustaining injuries from the fall.
She managed to alert a member of the public, who helped her and contacted emergency services.
The original sentencing judge had expressed concerns that Fenton posed a significant risk of causing serious harm to young girls.
The appeal judges concurred that Fenton was a “dangerous” offender, but they believed that a sentence with a definite release date, coupled with extended licence conditions, was sufficient to mitigate the danger he posed.
Mr Justice Holroyde noted, “In our judgement, the circumstances of these offences show a clear inability on the part of the appellant to control his sexual urges,” but also acknowledged that Fenton appeared genuinely remorseful and motivated to address his offending behavior.
Further details of the case revealed that Fenton’s criminal conduct included overhearing the girl, who was under 16, talking about a childhood game with a friend, and later asking her if it was a sexual game.
On another occasion, he lured her into an upstairs room and attempted to kiss her, which she avoided.
He then removed her top and touched her inappropriately, subsequently forcing her to perform a sex act under threat.
The prosecutor, David Herbert, described the girl’s fear, stating, “She believed he was going to do that,” and noted that Fenton called her “a dirty bitch” after the act.
The girl was visibly upset and frightened, unable to comprehend Fenton’s behavior.
Following the assault, Fenton expressed remorse, telling the girl that what had happened would likely “mess her up.” The girl, overwhelmed and scared, heard what she believed to be the sound of knives in a drawer, which prompted her to jump out of the window.
She sustained injuries from the fall and was helped by a witness before police were called.
Fenton was subsequently arrested two days later in the Narborough Road area of Leicester, bringing an end to the investigation and his brief period of freedom.
