ROTHERHAM TAXI DRIVER DARREN HYETT SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF TEENAGE GIRL IN CARE HOME
In a case that has shocked the community of Rotherham, Darren Hyett, a 55-year-old taxi driver, was sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing a teenage girl who was residing in a local care home.The conviction was handed down at Sheffield Crown Court, where Hyett was convicted of three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child.
The offences occurred over a span of three years, from 2004 to 2007, when the victim was just 15 years old.
According to evidence presented during the trial, a thorough investigation by the National Crime Agency uncovered that Hyett, who was 41 at the time, deliberately targeted and groomed the young girl.
The grooming process involved the offender buying her gifts, providing her with alcohol and cigarettes, and frequently taking her out in his taxi after collecting her from a children’s home.
These actions were part of a calculated effort to manipulate and exploit the vulnerable teenager.
The victim’s impact statement, read aloud during the court proceedings, revealed the profound and lasting effects of Hyett’s actions.
She stated, “Darren has impacted on my life in many ways and still does – many of these are invisible to the eyes of others.” Her words underscored the deep emotional scars left by the abuse, highlighting the ongoing trauma she endures.
Earlier in September 2018, Hyett was found guilty of similar charges after a two-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court.
During that trial, he was convicted of three counts of sexual activity with a child, specifically relating to the girl who was living at St Edmund’s Care Home in Thurcroft at the time.
Hyett, who was aged between 40 and 44 during the offences, groomed the girl with gifts, money, alcohol, and drugs.
The girl was between 15 and 18 years old during the period of abuse.
Hyett was acquitted of four counts of rape, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity with a child, and perverting the course of justice.
However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on one additional count of rape.
Following his conviction, Hyett was remanded into custody and is scheduled to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on October 12.
Rotherham Borough Council has been contacted for comment regarding the case.
Hyett’s charges are part of a broader investigation by the National Crime Agency into historic child sexual exploitation (CSE) in the town, known as Operation Stovewood.
This operation, which spans from 1997 to 2013, has led to the arrest of 35 individuals, with 18 charged and seven convicted so far.
Hyett’s case marks the fifth trial under Operation Stovewood, highlighting the ongoing efforts to address and bring justice to victims of historic abuse in Rotherham.
