DAMIEN HUGHES SENTENCED IN HALIFAX FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST UNDERAGE GIRL
A man named Damien Hughes from Halifax has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison after grooming an underage girl online and engaging in sexual activities with her.The case was heard at Bradford Crown Court, where it was revealed that Hughes had created a fake Instagram profile under the alias "Simon".
Using this false identity, he sent a friend request to a teenage girl, initiating a dangerous online relationship.
Over the course of three months, Hughes and the girl exchanged numerous messages, many of which became increasingly sexual in nature.
During this period, Hughes sent her a video of himself masturbating, further crossing boundaries and exploiting her vulnerability.
He also pressured her to send nude photographs of herself, encouraging her to meet him in person for sex, despite knowing she was under the age of consent.
His manipulative behavior demonstrated a clear intent to exploit the girl for sexual gratification.
During the school holidays, Hughes and the girl arranged to meet on three separate occasions.
On two of these meetings, Hughes engaged in sexual activity with the girl inside his car.
The court heard that the girl attempted to put an end to the encounters, but Hughes would often respond with emotional appeals, claiming he would miss her and expressing that he was "really upset" about the situation.
This manipulation added to the trauma experienced by the young victim.
The discovery of the abuse came when a relative of the girl noticed a message from Hughes on her phone.
Posing as the girl, the relative responded to the message, which led to an investigation of her Instagram account.
Authorities uncovered sexually explicit photographs and videos, along with messages that detailed plans to meet up.
The police were promptly involved, and Hughes was arrested.
During police interviews, Hughes chose to remain silent, offering no comments.
Further investigation of his phone revealed his travel history to meet the girl, and CCTV footage confirmed their presence at the scene of the meetings.
A forensic examination of Hughes’s vehicle uncovered evidence of sexual activity, corroborating the allegations.
The girl was able to identify Hughes during an identity parade, but he denied all charges and went to trial.
Ultimately, a jury found him guilty of the offences.
In a victim impact statement read aloud in court by prosecutor Laura McBride, the teenage girl described the profound emotional toll the experience had taken on her.
She expressed feelings of being "very worried, anxious, and intimidated," and explained that Hughes had exploited her vulnerabilities.
She shared that she had undergone therapy and now struggles with trust issues that have affected her other relationships.
The girl also revealed that she constantly lives with the memories and flashbacks of what Hughes did to her.
When sentencing Hughes, Mr.
Recorder Andrew Haslam KC, emphasized that Hughes had denied his crimes despite the overwhelming evidence against him.
Hughes, who resides on Westbourne Grove in Halifax, was sentenced to a total of six and a half years in prison.
Additionally, he was handed a ten-year sexual harm prevention order and was ordered to sign the sex offender register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect others from potential harm.
