DANIEL BLACK SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT IN CARLISLE AND BOLTON
| Red Rose Database
Carlisle Sexual Abuser
In a case that has spanned several years and involved multiple locations, Daniel Black, a man originally from Carlisle, has been convicted and sentenced for a serious sexual offence involving an 11-year-old girl. The incident took place in November of the previous year, and the court proceedings revealed disturbing details about Black’s actions and the subsequent legal battles he faced.
Black, who had moved to Bolton in April 2021 but was residing in Carlisle in March 2016, was accused of effectively abducting the young girl during the night. According to court evidence, Black drove the girl out to the Solway area under the pretense of stargazing. Once there, he proceeded to sexually assault her, an act that caused the girl to scream for help. The court heard that Black had climbed on top of her during the assault, which was characterized as a terrifying and traumatic experience for the young victim.
During the trial at Carlisle Crown Court, the jury deliberated for less than five hours before reaching a unanimous verdict of guilt. Black was convicted not only of the sexual assault but also of perverting the course of justice, a charge stemming from his attempt to cover up his involvement. The court had previously heard from the victim, who recounted how Black had lured her out in the middle of the night with false promises, and how he drove her to a remote part of the Solway to commit the assault.
This was the second trial involving Black for this particular offence. The first trial had been halted earlier in the year after evidence emerged that Black had tried to interfere with the judicial process. Specifically, he had asked a friend to provide an alibi without explaining why, which led to the trial being abandoned. It was only after the friend and his father read about the case in the News & Star that they contacted the police, leading to further charges against Black.
During the sentencing hearing, Black’s defense team presented letters of support from residents of his street, arguing for leniency and suggesting that the severity of the offence should be viewed within the guidelines. However, Judge Paul Batty expressed a stern view of the case, emphasizing the gravity of Black’s actions. The judge highlighted that Black had lured the girl with false promises of star-gazing, then drove her to the Solway where he committed the assault. The judge noted that the girl was screaming during the attack, which he described as an aggravating feature of the case.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Batty stated, “I take an extremely serious view of this case. I’ve presided now over two trials in respect of this matter. The evidence clearly indicates that you lured her with tales of looking at the stars. You drove her to the banks of the Solway where you committed there a wicked offence on that child.” The judge further added, “She was screaming as you sexually assaulted her. In my judgement that has about every aggravating feature one can imagine.”
Considering the sentencing guidelines, which suggest a range of 26 weeks to two years for such offences, Judge Batty decided that the circumstances warranted a harsher penalty. Consequently, Black was sentenced to three years in prison for the sexual assault and an additional year for attempting to pervert the course of justice, with the sentences to be served consecutively. The total sentence amounts to four years, with the 63 days Black had already spent in custody since the trial’s collapse being deducted from this total.
Furthermore, Black will be registered on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, and he is prohibited from working with children in any capacity. He was also subjected to an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, which will prevent him from having access to anyone under the age of 16. Throughout the proceedings, Black appeared pale and shaken, and Judge Batty concluded by stating, “You pose, in my judgement, a danger to children.” The case underscores the serious nature of the offences and the ongoing risks posed by individuals like Black to the safety of children in the community.
Black, who had moved to Bolton in April 2021 but was residing in Carlisle in March 2016, was accused of effectively abducting the young girl during the night. According to court evidence, Black drove the girl out to the Solway area under the pretense of stargazing. Once there, he proceeded to sexually assault her, an act that caused the girl to scream for help. The court heard that Black had climbed on top of her during the assault, which was characterized as a terrifying and traumatic experience for the young victim.
During the trial at Carlisle Crown Court, the jury deliberated for less than five hours before reaching a unanimous verdict of guilt. Black was convicted not only of the sexual assault but also of perverting the course of justice, a charge stemming from his attempt to cover up his involvement. The court had previously heard from the victim, who recounted how Black had lured her out in the middle of the night with false promises, and how he drove her to a remote part of the Solway to commit the assault.
This was the second trial involving Black for this particular offence. The first trial had been halted earlier in the year after evidence emerged that Black had tried to interfere with the judicial process. Specifically, he had asked a friend to provide an alibi without explaining why, which led to the trial being abandoned. It was only after the friend and his father read about the case in the News & Star that they contacted the police, leading to further charges against Black.
During the sentencing hearing, Black’s defense team presented letters of support from residents of his street, arguing for leniency and suggesting that the severity of the offence should be viewed within the guidelines. However, Judge Paul Batty expressed a stern view of the case, emphasizing the gravity of Black’s actions. The judge highlighted that Black had lured the girl with false promises of star-gazing, then drove her to the Solway where he committed the assault. The judge noted that the girl was screaming during the attack, which he described as an aggravating feature of the case.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Batty stated, “I take an extremely serious view of this case. I’ve presided now over two trials in respect of this matter. The evidence clearly indicates that you lured her with tales of looking at the stars. You drove her to the banks of the Solway where you committed there a wicked offence on that child.” The judge further added, “She was screaming as you sexually assaulted her. In my judgement that has about every aggravating feature one can imagine.”
Considering the sentencing guidelines, which suggest a range of 26 weeks to two years for such offences, Judge Batty decided that the circumstances warranted a harsher penalty. Consequently, Black was sentenced to three years in prison for the sexual assault and an additional year for attempting to pervert the course of justice, with the sentences to be served consecutively. The total sentence amounts to four years, with the 63 days Black had already spent in custody since the trial’s collapse being deducted from this total.
Furthermore, Black will be registered on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, and he is prohibited from working with children in any capacity. He was also subjected to an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, which will prevent him from having access to anyone under the age of 16. Throughout the proceedings, Black appeared pale and shaken, and Judge Batty concluded by stating, “You pose, in my judgement, a danger to children.” The case underscores the serious nature of the offences and the ongoing risks posed by individuals like Black to the safety of children in the community.