BRADLEY HEARNE FROM BARNSEY SHOCKS LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH DISTURBING WOODS INCIDENT NEAR CHESTERFIELD

In a disturbing incident that has sent shockwaves through the local community, Bradley Hearne, a serving soldier from Barnsley, was found guilty of luring young girls into secluded woodland areas near Chesterfield and exposing himself to them. The events unfolded on the afternoon of May 13, 2019, when Hearne approached a group of four girls, all under the age of 13, at a park close to Station Road in Barrow Hill.

According to court reports, Hearne, who was 22 years old at the time, initially engaged the girls by claiming he had lost his dog and asked for their assistance in finding it. His story, however, was fabricated. The young girls, unsuspecting, agreed to help him, and he then led them into a nearby wooded area under false pretenses. It was in this secluded setting that Hearne committed his offence by exposing himself to the children.

Prosecutor Luc Chignall detailed that the incident occurred around 4:30 pm. He explained that prior to the offence, Hearne had been seen at a local shop, and police officers, reviewing CCTV footage from the store, happened to encounter him there. Remarkably, Hearne entered the shop while the officers were examining the footage, leading to his immediate arrest. During police interviews, Hearne maintained that he had only asked the girls to help him look for his lost dog and insisted he had not committed any crime. Nonetheless, he later pleaded guilty to one count of indecent exposure.

The court heard that Hearne was at the time a member of the Royal Lancers, although he was preparing to leave the army in April of that year. He was residing with his partner in the Barnsley area, with an address listed as Hazelwood Drive, and also had an army address at Cambrai Barracks, Catterick Garrison. Despite his previous good character, the court took a serious view of his actions.

Judge Michael Jackson sentenced Hearne to a three-year community order, emphasizing the gravity of the offence. The judge stated, “On May 13, you lured four young girls away to some woodlands with a false story asking them to help you look for your dog. When you had enticed them into a secluded area, you exposed yourself to them. One of those children now speaks about how she was scared by that experience, and that is not surprising.”

As part of his sentence, Hearne was ordered to undertake rehabilitation programs aimed at addressing his behaviour, complete 180 hours of unpaid work, and was issued a five-year sexual harm prevention order. Additionally, he will be registered as a sex offender for five years, underscoring the seriousness of his misconduct and the community’s need for protection.