SHIPLEY MAN GAVIN FALCUS SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN BUSHES NEAR HIS HOME

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Shipley, a 26-year-old man named Gavin Falcus has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for the heinous sexual abuse of two young boys. The offences took place when Falcus was himself a child, and the crimes occurred in a secluded den hidden among bushes, a location that was likely chosen to conceal his activities from prying eyes.

Falcus, who resides on Laburnum Road in Shipley, was convicted after a jury at Bradford Crown Court found him guilty of a total of nine separate charges, including indecent assault and gross indecency. The court heard that the abuse spanned a period of several years, with the victims, who were just six and seven years old at the time, suffering deeply from the trauma inflicted upon them.

Prosecutor Caroline Wigin presented emotional statements from the victims during the trial. One of the young men revealed that he only fully understood the severity of what had happened to him as he grew older. This realization led to feelings of anger and paranoia, and he admitted to turning to heavy drinking as a way to cope with the memories. He also described experiencing nightmares and flashbacks, although these symptoms had somewhat diminished as police investigations progressed.

The second victim shared that the abuse had a lasting impact on his life, including losing his job while he was on antidepressants. He explained that since the incidents, he had struggled to maintain steady employment. Both men acknowledged that their experiences had negatively affected their personal relationships, highlighting the long-term damage caused by Falcus’s actions.

The first complainant reported to police that the abuse began when he was just 19, describing it as a game that took place in a den beneath a tree. The second victim recounted that Falcus would ask to play a disturbing game he called “the pants game,” which was kept secret from others and was not to be disclosed. These details underscore the manipulative and predatory nature of Falcus’s conduct during the period when he was a child himself.

During the trial, Falcus’s barrister, Gillian Batts, argued that the offences occurred over a relatively short period and that Falcus, who was only 13 at the time, displayed limited social skills. She emphasized that he had not committed any similar offences before and was otherwise considered a man of good character. However, Judge Jonathan Rose was unequivocal in his condemnation, stating that the victims’ mothers had trusted Falcus to play outside with their children, unaware of the sinister activities he was engaged in.

Judge Rose remarked that although Falcus was socially inept, he was fully aware that his actions were gravely wrong. The judge condemned Falcus for taking the young boys to a secluded area and forcing them into sexual acts against their will, actions that have caused suffering for over a decade. The judge pointed out that Falcus had shown no remorse and had refused to admit any wrongdoing.

As part of his sentence, Falcus is required to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years. Additionally, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order has been imposed without a time limit, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the potential risk he poses to the community in the future.