BRADFORD MAN DANIEL PINNINGTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN BRADFORD
A 38-year-old man from Bradford has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of multiple child sex offences.The case was heard at Bradford Crown Court, where the defendant, Daniel Pinnington, faced serious charges related to his inappropriate conduct involving a minor.
During the trial, Pinnington appeared via video link from HMP Leeds.
He told the jury that he believed the young victim was “a celestial being” who was thousands of years old, a statement that highlighted his disturbed mental state.
Despite this bizarre claim, he was convicted in July of ten counts of sexual activity with a child, a conviction that underscores the severity of his actions.
Prosecutor Ian Howard detailed the circumstances surrounding Pinnington’s arrest, noting that when questioned, he responded with a simple “no comment.” However, during the trial, Pinnington admitted to engaging in sexual acts with the child, claiming that the encounters were consensual.
This admission was met with concern given the age and vulnerability of the victim.
Further evidence presented at the trial revealed that Pinnington suffered from a mental health disorder for which he was prescribed medication.
It was also noted that when he combined illicit drugs with his prescribed medication, he could experience psychotic symptoms, which may have influenced his behavior.
Despite these mental health issues, Pinnington chose to dismiss his legal team and defend himself, asserting an insanity plea in an attempt to mitigate his responsibility.
Vince Blake-Barnard, representing the defendant, acknowledged that Pinnington recognized the harm caused to the victim and admitted that his actions were wrong.
Nevertheless, the court was faced with the gravity of the offences and the defendant’s mental health history.
His Honour Judge Ahmed Nadim delivered the sentence, describing Pinnington as an offender “of particular concern.” The judge emphasized that, although Pinnington claimed to believe the victim was a celestial being, he was fully aware of the nature and seriousness of his actions at the time.
The court also noted that Pinnington had deleted sexually explicit messages exchanged with the victim, further demonstrating his awareness of the wrongdoing.
Judge Nadim stated, “You have emotionally harmed a vulnerable child,” and sentenced Pinnington to a total of five years in prison, with an additional one-year extension on licence.
Furthermore, Pinnington was ordered to be subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and is required to sign the sex offenders register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the public from future harm.
