GARY RICHARDS SENTENCED IN SALISBURY FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF TWO TEENAGE GIRLS

In a case that has shocked the Salisbury community, former Salisbury College support and welfare officer Gary Richards, aged 48, has been sentenced to two years in prison following his conviction for the sexual abuse of two 14-year-old girls. The sentencing took place at Salisbury Crown Court, where the court heard detailed accounts of Richards' misconduct and the extent of his criminal activities.

Gary Richards, who was also a high-ranking official with the Wiltshire Football Association and actively involved in organizing youth soccer tournaments for both boys and girls, admitted to seven counts of sexual activity with the two teenage girls. These counts included engaging in sexual intercourse with one of the girls on at least one occasion. Additionally, Richards pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children, which further compounded his charges.

The court was informed that the investigation was initiated after Richards' own daughter discovered an inappropriate image of one of the girls on her father’s mobile phone. The girl, who was known to Richards, had alerted her mother about the discovery. When confronted, Richards confessed to his actions and subsequently made full and frank confessions to the police during his arrest in May of the same year.

Prosecutor James Newton-Price clarified that neither of the two girls attended Salisbury College, where Richards was employed as a teacher of employment skills and as a student support and welfare officer. It was also revealed that Richards was acquainted with one of the girls’ mothers, who also worked at the college. On one occasion, Richards had emailed the woman regarding a work-related matter, and this email was later accessed by her daughter. This initial contact led to a series of communications between Richards and the teenage girl, starting with emails, progressing to messages in chat rooms, and eventually culminating in Richards requesting photographs of the girl, including explicit images.

According to the prosecutor, the girl sent Richards ten images via her mobile phone. Richards responded by telling her she was beautiful and sexy, and then began asking her to meet up. After they met and engaged in some sexual activity, Richards continued to communicate with her, inquiring about her friends. Subsequently, Richards was introduced to a second 14-year-old girl, with whom he also engaged in meetings at various locations. The court heard that on one occasion, Richards had sexual intercourse with one girl while the other watched.

When Richards was arrested, police found indecent images of young girls classified as level one images on his computer. Defense lawyer Peter Henry stated that Richards had fully confessed to police even before interviewing the girls and expressed remorse for his actions. He added that Richards was seeking professional help and claimed that, despite the girls’ ages, there was mutual consent in the interactions, asserting that neither girl was naïve about the situation.

However, Deputy Circuit Judge Pryor QC emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating that Richards had a duty to protect these young girls, who are at an age requiring safeguarding. The judge pointed out that Richards was not in a position of trust but still engaged in sexual activities over an extended period, which warranted a custodial sentence. Consequently, Richards was sentenced to two years in prison, to run concurrently across all seven counts of sexual abuse. The court also imposed a disqualification order, banning Richards from working with children indefinitely, and mandated that he register as a sex offender for ten years. The charge of possessing indecent images did not carry an additional penalty beyond the sentence for the abuse charges.