DALE BARKER SENTENCED IN LANCASHIRE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND KNIFE THREATS, FAMILY LEFT DEVASTATED
A mother from Lancashire has spoken out about the harrowing experience her family endured after Dale Barker, aged 33, committed a series of heinous crimes that have left them emotionally and psychologically shattered.According to her account, she and her young son found themselves trapped within their own home, feeling like prisoners after Barker, whom she initially befriended in a shop where he was employed, began to exhibit increasingly disturbing behavior.
The mother recounted that Barker had been overly friendly, frequently buying gifts for her son and acting in a manner that she now recognizes as grooming.
"He kept buying gifts and things for my son and being overly pally," she explained.
"It was grooming, but when I said I didn't want this anymore, it went really, really wrong.
I asked him to leave, but he wouldn't go." Her fears escalated when Barker assaulted her in front of her son, an incident that was later dropped from the charges.
However, the situation deteriorated further as Barker began to threaten her and her family with knives, and even made threats of arson.
These threats prompted Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service to safeguard their home, and the family was given priority for relocation due to the ongoing danger.
Throughout this ordeal, Barker remained on bail, which heightened the mother’s anxiety.
She described her constant state of hypervigilance, which included locking doors and gates, using a GPS tracker on her son's phone, and living in a state of persistent fear.
Both she and her son suffered severe mental health issues; her son became suicidal and ceased attending school, while she herself experienced physical symptoms of stress over the past 16 months.
"I am constantly ill through stress and hypervigilance, and my symptoms have manifested physically," she said.
"I no longer feel comfortable around strangers and have lost my business due to the difficulties I have faced." She expressed her profound sense of loss and anger, stating, "Barker has destroyed our family.
He has taken away my son's childhood, which he will never get back, and he will carry this burden for the rest of his life." She also revealed that her son had attempted to take his own life and continues to struggle daily.
Her mental health is described as being at crisis point.
Her anguish extended to her feelings about the justice process, criticizing the courts for not providing adequate protection.
"Barker has been able to live his life freely while we suffer.
I am incensed by this," she said.
"My son and I have been on the brink of mental collapse." During sentencing, Judge Sara Dodd described Barker as a dangerous individual who posed a significant risk of serious harm to the public.
In addition to the six-year and nine-month prison sentence, Barker was subjected to an extended license period of three years and three months to ensure ongoing public safety.
He was also ordered to comply with a 12-year sexual harm prevention order and to be registered on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Furthermore, a restraining order was issued to protect the family from further contact.
Reflecting on the sentencing day, the mother said it was the most difficult day of her life.
She described experiencing a whirlwind of emotions—relief, shock, and fear—and expressed her belief that Barker might be a psychopath.
Despite the trauma, she praised her son’s resilience, noting that his bravery has helped prevent potential future victims.
Now that Barker is behind bars, she feels a sense of relief that he can no longer threaten her family.
However, she acknowledged that the road to recovery is long and that her family will carry the scars of this ordeal forever.
Nevertheless, she sees the sentencing as a crucial step toward moving forward and rebuilding their lives in Lancashire.
