CRAIG OLDFIELD FROM MIDDLESBROUGH AND THORNABY SENTENCED FOR PREDATORY SEX CRIMES AGAINST GIRL

In a harrowing case that has shocked the communities of Middlesbrough and Thornaby, Craig Oldfield, aged 23, was sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of a series of serious sexual offenses involving a young girl. The court heard how Oldfield, a former caretaker at the Acklam Green Centre in Middlesbrough, engaged in a calculated and predatory campaign to groom, manipulate, and sexually exploit an underage girl, effectively stealing her childhood.

Oldfield showed no visible emotion as the judge delivered the sentence at Teesside Crown Court. Despite his incarceration, he continued to deny any wrongdoing, maintaining his innocence and refusing to accept responsibility for his actions. The court was told that he lured the girl into his home and a nearby field, where he took advantage of her in a series of disturbing incidents.

Throughout the grooming process, Oldfield sent the girl hundreds of messages over a span of just two days. These messages included attempts to manipulate her into keeping their communications secret, with Oldfield urging her to delete messages to avoid detection. He also tried to persuade her to recruit a friend for a sexual encounter, describing it as a “threesome.”

Judge Simon Phillips QC emphasized that the girl, whose identity remains protected for legal reasons, repeatedly refused Oldfield’s advances, but he persisted regardless. The judge described Oldfield’s conduct as “persistent, premeditated misconduct,” highlighting the manipulative tactics he employed. Oldfield, who was employed as a caretaker at the Middlesbrough-based Acklam Green Centre at the time, used deceit to lure the girl into his home and bedroom. The court noted that the girl was naive and unaware of Oldfield’s true intentions, which he concealed behind false pretenses.

Oldfield’s repeated requests for sexual activity culminated in him forcing her to perform a sex act, undressing her, and pushing her onto the bed in the presence of his pregnant fiancée. The girl was subjected to unprotected sex while she was frozen in fear, unable to speak or resist. She later described her experience as a complete blank, indicating the trauma and shock she endured during what was her first sexual encounter. After the incident, she returned home feeling sick and frightened about the possibility of pregnancy but chose to remain silent at the time.

The grooming continued through a barrage of messages, with Oldfield exchanging approximately 550 texts over just two days. He also sent her a photograph of his bedroom and encouraged her to send him pictures of herself. The situation escalated when Oldfield convinced her to walk into a field with him, where he again sought sexual activity. Despite her clear refusal, he proceeded with his intentions, demonstrating a blatant disregard for her wishes and her age.

The criminal activities only came to light after some of the messages were discovered. Oldfield attempted to coerce the girl into silence, messaging her, “Please don’t. You will kill my life,” and claiming that his Facebook account had been hacked to cover his tracks. The victim’s mother provided a statement, describing how Oldfield’s actions had devastated their family, stating, “He stole my daughter’s childhood.”

Oldfield, who previously resided on Basselton Lane in Thornaby, denied all allegations, claiming that no sexual activity had taken place and accusing the girl of lying. However, a jury convicted him on all five counts, which included two charges of sexual activity with a child, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of causing child sex exploitation. These were his first offenses.

Judge Phillips condemned Oldfield’s continued denial of guilt, stating, “To this day you do not accept any responsibility whatsoever.” The court also determined that Oldfield posed a high risk to children within the community. As part of his sentence, he was handed an eight-year prison term, along with a sexual harm prevention order that prohibits any unsupervised contact with individuals under 16. Additionally, a restraining order was issued, banning him from contacting the victim, approaching her residence, or searching for her online, both orders being indefinite. Oldfield will also be registered as a sex offender for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and restrictions.