DALE WYCHERLEY SENTENCED IN LEICESTER FOR GROOMING AND SEXUAL ABUSE IN BARLESTONE
Dale Wycherley, 19, currently detained at HMP Nottingham, has been sentenced to four years in prison after grooming and sexually abusing two young girls in Barlestone.Wycherley encouraged the victims, aged 13 and 15, to send him indecent photographs and exchange inappropriate messages via Facebook.
He arranged to meet the girls in Barlestone, persuading them to buy alcohol before sexually assaulting them in a flat located in the village.
The 15-year-old victim stated in a victim impact report read in Leicester Crown Court: "I have self-harmed, possibly once a day, and I have attempted suicide multiple times because of the shame of what happened.
I am frightened he might hurt other girls who go through what I have.
I feel scared and nervous around men in general.
It has taken me six months to trust the support staff I live with, and being around men is hard for me." On Friday, Wycherley received a four-year prison sentence and was ordered to serve an additional three years on licence upon release.
Additionally, he was handed a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and will be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
The offences occurred in June last year, when Wycherley used social media to arrange meetings with the two girls, leading to their assault.
After the victims reported the crimes, Wycherley was arrested.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized his iPad and mobile phone, discovering indecent images of four other victims.
Detective Constable Amanda Thwaites, involved in the case, remarked: "The victims demonstrated great courage in coming forward and sharing their experiences.
It hasn't been easy for them to revisit what happened, but their support was crucial in bringing Wycherley to justice.
We remain dedicated to addressing child sex exploitation, investigating all reports thoroughly and with sensitivity.
We encourage anyone who may be a victim to come forward, assured that their report will be handled with care by our specialist team, working alongside social workers and partner agencies to provide support." Staff from Leicestershire County Council, part of the dedicated team against child sexual exploitation, also provided assistance to the victims and their families.
Ivan Ould, the council's cabinet member for children and families, expressed support: "It takes significant bravery for victims to speak out, and I commend these young people.
We are dedicated to tackling child sexual exploitation, with social workers working closely with police to help victims feel confident in revealing abuse.
I am glad this support has contributed to the convictions." Previously, Wycherley admitted to multiple offences, including making Category C indecent images of a child between October 2014 and July 2015; meeting a child for sexual grooming in June 2016; sexual assault in June 2016; inciting a child to engage in sexual activity from January to June 2016; creating indecent images of a child (categories A, B, and C) between January and June 2016; and inciting a child to engage in such activities again in March and May 2016, respectively.
