GAVIN COOPER FROM HEREFORD FACES JAIL AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT NEAR HEREFORD PARK
In a case that has shocked the local community, Gavin Cooper, a 21-year-old carpenter from Hereford, is facing the possibility of a prison sentence following allegations of sexual assault involving a 14-year-old girl.The incident reportedly took place in June 2002, near a park in Hereford, where Cooper engaged in inappropriate conduct with the underage girl while she was heavily intoxicated.
According to court proceedings, Cooper admitted to groping the upper part of the girl’s body but claimed that his memory of the events was hazy due to alcohol consumption.
The girl, who was in a drunken state, was in a two-man tent along with three other girls when the incident occurred.
It was during this time that one of the other girls in the tent accused Cooper of molestation, describing his behavior as that of a child molester.
The court heard that Cooper’s actions were serious enough to warrant a guilty verdict for unlawful sexual intercourse, a charge he did not deny.
Prior to the trial, Cooper pleaded guilty to indecent assault.
The case was brought before Worcester Crown Court, where Judge David McEvoy QC ordered that Cooper be remanded on bail pending the preparation of a pre-sentence report.
The judge emphasized the gravity of the situation, especially considering the victim’s intoxicated state at the time of the assault.
He remarked that the case was serious and expressed that Cooper was fortunate not to have been charged with rape.
Prosecutor Adam Western provided details of the events leading up to the incident.
He explained that a group of girls had been drinking alcohol in the Hampton Park area of Hereford on Saturday, June 2, 2002.
Cooper and other youths joined the group, and the victim, who was heavily intoxicated after consuming vodka and whisky, was carried by Cooper over a fence and a stream to the tent where the assault took place.
The girl later testified via video link that Cooper had boasted about giving her “the best orgasm of my life,” and another girl observed Cooper’s naked bottom moving as he engaged in sexual activity.
During police interviews, Cooper admitted to having sex with the girl but claimed that his memory was vague due to his drunkenness.
He was arrested at his mother’s residence and subsequently confessed that he was aware the girl was only 14 years old.
The victim recounted that Cooper had lain on top of her and engaged in sexual intercourse, after which she was overwhelmed with tears.
She also described how she was still intoxicated at 4 a.m., and when Cooper attempted to stroke her hair, she told him to leave her alone.
The case highlights the serious concerns surrounding the exploitation of minors and the dangers of alcohol-fueled encounters, especially in public parks and secluded areas like the one near Hereford.
