LUKE BRECKNELL SENTENCED FOR SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING UNDERAGE GIRLS IN DROITWICH

In December 2016, Luke Brecknell, a 19-year-old man with no fixed address, was convicted of multiple serious sexual offences committed in Droitwich. The case was heard at Worcester Crown Court before Judge Nicholas Cole, who delivered the sentencing on Thursday. Brecknell had pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual misconduct involving underage girls, including rape and grooming.

Specifically, he admitted to raping a 15-year-old girl in October of the previous year. The assault took place in a local park, and the victim was still attending school at the time. Brecknell also acknowledged engaging in sexual activity with another girl, aged 14, after grooming her in July of the same year. The grooming involved meeting her after establishing a relationship through messaging and other communications. An aggravating factor in the case was that no protection was used during any of the sexual encounters, increasing the severity of the offences.

Compounding the seriousness of the crimes, the first complainant contracted a sexually transmitted infection, specifically chlamydia. While the judge noted that it could not be definitively proven that Brecknell infected her, he described it as an 'irresistible inference' that he was responsible. The court also considered the vulnerability of both victims as an aggravating element, emphasizing their young ages and the manipulative nature of the grooming.

Further troubling was the fact that in July, while Brecknell was on bail for the initial offences, he engaged in sexual activity with the second girl, aged 14. This act occurred despite his ongoing legal proceedings and awareness of his bail conditions. Prosecutor Daniel White highlighted that the first victim was still in school at the time of the rape, and Brecknell was aware of her age. White quoted a disturbing text message from Brecknell, in which he said, 'you might as well call me a rapist – I feel like I raped you. You said ‘no’ and I carried on.'

Defense attorney Abigail Nixon acknowledged her client’s remorse, describing his guilty plea as a brave step, especially given his age. She highlighted his emotional immaturity, difficult childhood without a male role model, and diagnoses of ADHD and dyslexia. Nixon also pointed out that Brecknell had self-harmed and experienced loneliness during his upbringing. She argued that his young age (17 at the time of the offences) and the relatively close ages of the victims should be considered in mitigation.

During sentencing, the judge took into account victim impact statements. One girl expressed feeling 'terrified of what was going to happen' and described her experience as making her feel 'worthless and ashamed.' The second victim described her feelings of violation and the loss of her innocence. Judge Cole acknowledged the emotional trauma inflicted but emphasized that such factors did not excuse the offences.

In sentencing, Brecknell received 40 months for the rape, with a reduction of one-third for his guilty plea, and an additional 12 months concurrent for sexual activity with the first victim. For the offences involving the second girl, he was sentenced to 32 months, to be served consecutively, bringing the total prison time to 72 months. The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, restricting Brecknell from having contact with any female under 16 unless unavoidable in daily life. Additionally, he is required to sign the sex offenders register and is barred from working with children in any capacity.