DARREN TAWS FROM NORTH SHIELDS SPARED JAIL AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT ON 9-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In May 2005, a distressing case unfolded in Newcastle Crown Court involving Darren Taws, a resident of North Shields, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl. The incident has left the victim's family devastated and has sparked widespread outrage within the community.

According to court records, Taws, aged 30 and residing on Newlyn Crescent in North Shields, had engaged in inappropriate conduct towards the young girl, instructing her to remain silent after touching her in a sexual manner. The court heard that Taws admitted to two charges of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13, as well as a charge of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Despite the severity of the charges, Taws was sentenced to a three-year rehabilitation order. This decision was made after he pleaded guilty, which the judge, Guy Whitburn, acknowledged as a significant factor in the case. The judge explained that Taws's admission of guilt spared the young victim the trauma of giving evidence in court, which he described as a form of mitigation that influenced the sentencing outcome. In addition to the rehabilitation order, Taws was mandated to register as a sex offender and was issued a disqualification order preventing him from ever working with children, whether paid or voluntary.

The victim's mother expressed her profound anguish and disappointment with the court's decision. She stated, "As a family, we have been devastated by this. I had to tell my daughter that this man is not in prison and she cried all the way home. Ever since it happened, she's been different from what she used to be. She was outgoing and now she's a lot more clingy. She's been having nightmares and she can't sleep on her own anymore. I have to keep telling her that he won't come after her again. I have tried to make her understand that not everybody is like that. She has been robbed of her innocence by this man."

Stuart Graham, representing Taws, emphasized that his client fully accepted responsibility for his actions, stating, "He does fully accept he was the instigator. He accepts what he did was wrong." The court was informed that Taws had no previous convictions, which may have influenced the judge's decision.

However, the victim's mother remains unconvinced by the leniency of the sentence. She remarked, "We have been through absolute hell, and I would hate to think anyone else would be put through it too." The case continues to evoke strong emotions within the North Shields community, highlighting the ongoing debate over appropriate sentencing in cases involving sexual offenses against children.