Manchester man jailed for child sex abuse of girl over seven years

A man from Manchester named Dale Pendleton Briers, aged 32, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses against a girl who had been in his abuse for over seven years, starting from when she was 10 until she was 17. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reported that Briers pretended his acts were mere 'games' and 'experiments.' He admitted to 19 offenses, including sexual assault of a child and possession of indecent images. The court heard that the victim began counseling at age 17 after her family noticed her mental health was worsening, although they initially didn't know why. The counseling helped her gather the strength to confront Pendleton Briers, leading her to challenge him during an incident when he tried to abuse her again, which finally ceased. Over time, she shared her ordeal with her family and later with the police, which led to his arrest and conviction. When initially interviewed in 2021, Briers denied the allegations and claimed his victim fabricated them to ruin him. Police later discovered that he had searched for extreme pornography and child abuse images on his phone. Briers was re-interviewed in April 2022 and responded with 'no comment' before being charged in September and pleading guilty. Prosecutor Lydia Durkin described his actions as systematic destruction of the victim's youth, emphasizing that she was made to feel like an 'experimental toy.' Detective Constable Herminder Hira of Cheshire Police praised the victim's bravery and encouraged others to report abuse regardless of how much time has passed.