MARK DOUGLAS SENTENCED IN CUMBRIA FOR SEXUAL ACTIVITY WITH TEENAGE GIRL NEAR PENRITH AND CARLISLE

In a case that has drawn significant attention in the Cumbria region, Mark Douglas, a 47-year-old man formerly residing on Oaklands Drive in Upperby, Carlisle, was sentenced to two years in prison for engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl. The incident took place in December 2011 and was brought to court more than a year later, with the sentencing occurring on April 2013 at Carlisle Crown Court.

Douglas had previously admitted to a single charge of sexual activity with a minor, which played a central role in the proceedings. Initially, he faced an accusation of raping the young girl in a flat near Penrith bus station. However, both the prosecution and defense later agreed to amend the charge, acknowledging that the sexual activity was consensual. This change was based on evidence and testimonies presented during the trial.

The court was informed that the events unfolded after Douglas and the girl met at a bus stop. The meeting took place on December 30, 2011, when they struck up a conversation. Following their interaction, they decided to go to a flat located opposite the bus station in Penrith, which belonged to a friend of Douglas. The prosecutor, Brendan Burke, emphasized that it was undisputed that the girl willingly accompanied Douglas to the flat. He also stated that she voluntarily consumed vodka and Coke, removed her own clothing, and participated willingly in the sexual activities that followed.

Burke clarified that the sexual contact was consistent with the defense's case statement, which indicated that full intercourse did not occur. The court heard that the girl was an active participant in the events, and her involvement was deemed consensual. The defense, represented by Kim Whittlestone, highlighted Douglas’s remorse, supported by a witness statement from a former colleague. The colleague described Douglas as appearing distressed and disheveled the morning after the incident, and Douglas had partially confessed to the colleague about what transpired.

Judge Barbara Forrester, presiding over the case, acknowledged that the girl had been an equal partner in the encounter. Nonetheless, she emphasized that this did not justify Douglas’s actions. The judge sentenced him to two years in prison. However, she also took into account the time Douglas had already served—one month in custody, along with fifteen months spent under curfew and living with a relative in Wiltshire while on bail. These periods were to be counted towards his overall sentence.

In addition to his imprisonment, Douglas was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years, disqualified from working with children, and subjected to a sex offenders’ prevention order. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness with which the legal system treats offenses involving minors, especially when they involve breaches of trust and consent.