JASON BLADES FROM CHESTERFIELD SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES IN DERBYSHIRE

In a case that has shocked the local community, Jason Blades, a 32-year-old man from Chesterfield, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting to engaging in sexual activities with a minor girl. The incident unfolded in August, when Blades and the 14-year-old girl went missing, prompting a significant police investigation across the region.

According to court proceedings, Blades and the young girl, who was under the care of social services at the time, met at a fair held at Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham. The girl, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, was reported to have run away from her foster home or care placement, leading to a nationwide search for her and Blades. The police eventually located Blades at his residence on Boundary Road in Wyborn, while the girl voluntarily surrendered herself to authorities in Scarborough a few days later.

During the trial at Derby Crown Court, the prosecution revealed that Blades had engaged in sexual activity with the girl on four separate occasions over a span of three days. The court was informed that the pair had visited Blades’s flat, where the sexual encounters took place. The prosecutor, Mark Church, stated that the girl had initially denied the allegations but later admitted to the sexual acts, expressing concern that she might be pregnant.

Blades faced multiple charges, including four counts of sexual activity with a child. The judge also filed a charge of abduction against him. As part of his sentencing, Blades was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, reflecting the severity of his crimes.

Defense lawyer Gordon Stables argued that Blades’s mental capacity was significantly impaired, describing his intelligence as “so low it almost rendered him handicapped.” Stables emphasized that Blades’s actions were not premeditated and that he did not fully comprehend the gravity of his conduct. The court was also informed that Blades had a criminal history, including an 18-month jail sentence in 1991 for two convictions of indecent assault against a seven-year-old and an eleven-year-old.

Judge John Wait addressed Blades directly, stating that if he had truly understood the seriousness of his actions, he would have faced a sentence of five years in prison. The case has raised concerns about the safety of vulnerable minors and the importance of monitoring individuals with a history of sexual offenses in the Chesterfield area and beyond.