ASHLEY GARDINER FROM WARRINGTON JAILED AGAIN FOR OVERNIGHT STAY AT CHILDREN'S HOUSE
In a recent development in the ongoing case involving Ashley Gardiner, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, he has been sentenced to additional time behind bars for breaching a sexual harm prevention order.Gardiner, who resides on Swallow Close in Birchwood, Warrington, was found to have stayed overnight at a friend’s residence, despite the restrictions imposed by his previous convictions.
During this incident, Gardiner spent two consecutive nights at the home of a woman who was unaware of his criminal background.
The house was occupied by two children, aged 10 and 15, at the time.
Importantly, the woman did not leave Gardiner alone with the children, and she was unaware of his past offenses.
However, Gardiner’s stay raised serious concerns once it came to light that he had been there for two nights, especially given his history.
After his stay, Gardiner confided in the woman, claiming that he had been to prison after being 'set up on Facebook,' but he refused to provide further details.
His visit did not go unnoticed for long; social services were alerted to the situation, leading to Gardiner’s arrest a few days later.
During police interviews, Gardiner admitted to knowing he had done wrong and acknowledged that he was fully aware of the restrictions placed upon him by his previous court orders.
This incident also coincided with violations of lockdown rules, which added to the severity of his breach.
Prosecutor Simon Duncan explained that Gardiner, who had recently separated from his partner, sought comfort in his friendship with the woman.
The court was informed that Gardiner had previously groomed an 11-year-old girl in 2014 and had also breached a suspended sentence by sexually assaulting a man in 2016.
Gardiner was ultimately sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Judge Murray emphasized the gravity of his actions, stating, “You did not tell the woman of your previous sexual offending when you stayed for two nights after leaving your partner.
You told her that you had been wrongly convicted.
This risked very serious harm to those children.
You have a history of disobedience to court orders.” Looking back at Gardiner’s criminal history, the court recalled his 2014 conviction for grooming a girl via Facebook.
The victim, who is believed to have mental health issues, thought Gardiner was a family friend.
Over the course of 13 months, their conversations became sexually explicit, with Gardiner sending graphic images and urging her to send similar pictures.
The girl eventually sent a photograph of herself wearing a bra, but Gardiner continued to push for more explicit images.
It was only when she asked him to send a picture of his face that she realized he was not a family friend, leading her to report him to the police.
Gardiner’s repeated breaches of court orders and his history of grooming and sexual misconduct highlight the ongoing concerns about his behavior and the potential risk he poses to the community in Warrington.
