ASHLEY GILHEANEY FROM ACCRINGTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN LONDON AND PRESTON

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Accrington and beyond, Ashley Gilheaney, a man with a disturbing history of sexual offenses against young boys, has been declared a continued danger to the public by top judicial authorities. The proceedings, which took place in London and Preston, have highlighted the severity of his crimes and the ongoing concerns about his potential threat to society.

Gilheaney, aged 26 at the time, residing on Hood Street in Accrington, was initially sentenced in October 2016 to an indefinite term for his heinous acts committed in 2010. His crimes involved the molestation and rape of multiple young boys, acts that have left a lasting scar on the victims and their families. The gravity of his offenses prompted the court to impose a sentence that effectively functions as a life term, with Gilheaney remaining incarcerated until the Parole Board determines he is no longer a danger to the public.

While serving his sentence, Gilheaney was enrolled in a sex offender treatment program. During this period, he made startling admissions, confessing to additional crimes. He revealed that he had raped or sexually assaulted three more boys, further complicating his case. In December 2011, Gilheaney pleaded guilty to two counts of raping a child under 13 and to four other sexual offenses involving the young victims. His guilty pleas and the nature of his confessions underscored the seriousness of his criminal behavior.

Subsequently, in February 2012, Gilheaney was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to an indefinite period of imprisonment for public protection. This sentence was designed to ensure that he remains detained until authorities are satisfied that he no longer poses a threat. The sentence was nearly equivalent to a life sentence, reflecting the dangerousness of his actions and the potential risk he continued to pose to society.

In a recent development, Gilheaney sought to have his open-ended sentence overturned. He appeared before three senior judges at London's Criminal Appeal Court, arguing that his voluntary confessions and guilty pleas demonstrated remorse and should be taken into account as signs of reduced danger. His legal team contended that he had been wrongly classified as a dangerous offender and that his progress in treatment warranted a review of his detention status.

However, Mr. Justice Wilkie, presiding over the appeal alongside Lord Justice McCombe and Judge Peter Rook QC, dismissed the application. He emphasized that Gilheaney’s voluntary disclosures did not automatically mean he was no longer dangerous. The judge stated, “The mere fact he saw fit to make these revelations himself didn’t necessarily mean that he was no longer dangerous. Although a great deal of progress has been made, there is still a great deal to be done before the level of risk he poses to the public can be significantly reduced so that he is no longer deemed dangerous.” Consequently, the appeal was refused, reaffirming the original sentence and the ongoing need for public protection.

In the earlier case from February 2012, Gilheaney’s crimes had already resulted in a severe sentence. During that trial, it was revealed that he had targeted three additional young boys in Accrington between February 2006 and March 2010. Gilheaney, then 22 years old, admitted to multiple offenses, including three counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual touching. His confessions detailed disturbing acts, including performing a sex act on a nine-year-old boy and groping him, engaging in non-consensual sexual intercourse with another boy, and forcing a third victim, aged 10, to remove his clothing before assaulting him sexually.

The victims, who were interviewed on video, described feeling ‘frightened’ and ‘threatened’ by Gilheaney’s actions. The court heard how his offenses had left lasting trauma on the young boys. Judge Pamela Badley sentenced Gilheaney to an indeterminate term of imprisonment for public protection, with a minimum of five years to be served. The families of the victims were present in court, visibly distressed as the details of the crimes were read out, some of whom had to leave the courtroom due to the emotional toll.

Gilheaney’s criminal record includes multiple serious sexual offenses, and his case continues to raise concerns about the adequacy of current measures to protect vulnerable children from repeat offenders. His ongoing detention underscores the importance placed on public safety and the challenges faced by the justice system in managing offenders deemed highly dangerous.