DAVID COLLIER FROM ATHERTON ESCAPES JAIL AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE IN MANCHESTER

In a case that has spanned several years and involved multiple legal proceedings, David Collier, a resident of Atherton, has been involved in a highly publicized sexual assault case that took place in Manchester. The incident, which first came to light in 2010, centered around Collier’s inappropriate contact and subsequent sexual activity with a girl who was under the age of 14.

Initially, Collier was convicted of raping the young girl and sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011. The court heard that Collier, then 31 years old, had met the girl through online communications on Facebook. Her mother discovered the messages on her daughter’s laptop and, recognizing that they indicated more than innocent friendship, contacted Collier to warn him that her daughter was only 13 years old. Despite his claims that he would delete the contact, Collier did not do so, and their communication continued.

Over time, the two began meeting in person, sometimes accompanied by her friend, and at other times alone. Collier took the girl in his car and also invited her to his home in Atherton. During these visits, he engaged in sexual touching and eventually asked her for sex. The girl, wanting to leave, was told by Collier to make herself comfortable on his bed, where they engaged in sexual intercourse. The girl later confided in her friend about what had happened, and her mother was subsequently informed after the friend disclosed the incident to a relative.

Collier was detained by police in November of that year and denied the allegations. He claimed that he had ceased contact with the girl after her mother’s intervention and insisted that no sexual relationship had taken place. However, evidence presented during the trial indicated that Collier had been actively encouraging the girl to meet him and had been using the internet to manipulate her into sneaking out of her home.

In court, the prosecution highlighted that Collier had been grooming the girl, seducing her, and taking deliberate steps to meet her alone. Judge Adrian Lyon, presiding over the case, sentenced Collier to five years in prison, but due to his prior incarceration and the time already served, Collier was effectively released from custody. The judge ordered that Collier be taken to the cells and, once the calculations of his time served were completed, he would be released.

It is important to note that Collier is on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and has been subject to additional restrictions, including a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that limits his internet use and prohibits him from working with children or being alone with minors under 16. The case has garnered significant attention in the Atherton community and beyond, highlighting ongoing concerns about safeguarding and the risks posed by individuals with a history of sexual offenses.