ASHBY MAN CRAIG DUFFY SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF SCHOOLGIRLS IN LEICESTERSHIRE

In August 2012, a man from Ashby, identified as Craig Duffy, was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing two young schoolgirls. The court proceedings revealed disturbing details about Duffy's actions, which included unlawful sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl and indecent assault against a 14-year-old girl.

Craig Duffy, aged 22 and residing on Holywell Avenue in Ashby, was convicted by a jury at Leicester Crown Court following a trial that uncovered a pattern of grooming behavior. The trial judge, Recorder Martin Butterworth, delivered the sentence at Northampton Crown Court on a Friday, emphasizing the severity of Duffy's misconduct.

Recorder Butterworth stated that there was clear evidence of grooming, highlighting Duffy’s practice of befriending young individuals with the apparent intent of exploiting them sexually. Despite Duffy’s insistence on his innocence, the judge dismissed a psychiatric report suggesting he was unlikely to reoffend, underscoring the seriousness of his actions.

As part of his sentence, Duffy was informed that after serving half of his five-year term, he would be subject to a longer-than-usual license period of four years. Additionally, he was prohibited from having unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 16, reflecting concerns about his potential risk to minors.

During the trial, Duffy attempted to deny the allegations, claiming that the two girls had fabricated their stories. However, the court was presented with evidence that painted a different picture. It was revealed that Duffy had previously received police warnings related to his conduct involving two other young girls. Furthermore, authorities discovered photographs of girls in various stages of undress stored on his mobile phone.

Prosecutor Andrew Vout explained that no charges were brought concerning the images because of difficulties in verifying the girls’ ages and identities. The court also learned that Duffy’s phone contained contact details for other girls under 16.

The 13-year-old victim testified that she had communicated with Duffy via the messaging application on her BlackBerry mobile phone. She recounted that arrangements were made for her to meet Duffy at his home, where sexual activity took place. The girl described how she agreed to meet him after school, wearing her school uniform, and spoke to him on the phone as she traveled to his residence. Once there, Duffy allowed her inside and took her upstairs.

Although Duffy chose not to give evidence in his defense, he was questioned during police interviews. He claimed he had no dealings with the girl and did not recognize her. Nonetheless, the jury was shown evidence of a phone call lasting several minutes between Duffy and the girl before her visit, and she was able to accurately describe his bedroom.

In relation to the 14-year-old girl, the court heard that Duffy had given her a lift in his van. During the ride, he attempted to kiss her and grabbed her hair in an effort to pull her closer. Duffy denied these allegations during police interviews, asserting he never gave her a lift in his van.

The court’s findings painted a picture of a man with distorted thinking and a lack of sophistication, which was considered in mitigation during sentencing. Overall, the case highlighted serious concerns about Duffy’s conduct and the exploitation of vulnerable young girls in Ashby and the surrounding areas.