NEIL HURLEY FROM COLNE CAUGHT IN SHOCKING FACEBOOK SEXUAL PLOT WITH SCHOOLGIRL

In October 2012, a disturbing case emerged involving Neil Hurley, a man from Colne, who engaged in a troubling online pursuit of a 14-year-old schoolgirl through Facebook. The incident revealed a pattern of predatory behavior that culminated in an attempted sexual encounter at Hurley's residence, which was interrupted by the return of his partner, the mother of his child.

Neil Hurley, aged 27 at the time and a resident of North Street, Colne, was found guilty of three counts related to sexual activity with a minor. The court proceedings detailed how Hurley, who had no prior criminal record, had initiated contact with the young girl after she posted a comment on her Facebook profile inviting responses from anyone interested in her. Hurley responded to her post by sending her a private message, marking the beginning of a concerning online interaction.

According to the prosecution, in January 2011, Hurley re-engaged with the girl through Facebook’s chat feature, expressing his attraction towards her. He obtained her mobile phone number from Facebook and began texting her directly, escalating their communication. The exchanges between them included the sharing of sexual images, which further demonstrated the inappropriate nature of their relationship. Over the course of several months, the pair met approximately nine or ten times, during which Hurley engaged in fondling her and performed a sexual act.

In September of the following year, the teenager visited Hurley's home. During this visit, Hurley professed his love for her and expressed a desire to demonstrate his feelings physically. However, their plans were thwarted when Hurley's partner, the girl’s mother, returned home unexpectedly, banging on the door. The schoolgirl, frightened by the situation, fled the scene and was later reported missing. She was eventually located and provided police with details of her encounters with Hurley.

Hurley was arrested on September 28. During police questioning, he confirmed his phone number but did not make any further comments. The court heard that Hurley had no previous convictions and was now a father of two children. Despite his claims of genuine affection for the girl, the court found his actions to be serious breaches of trust and safety.

As part of his sentence, Hurley was placed under three years of probation supervision and mandated to participate in the community sex offenders’ programme. He was also ordered to pay costs amounting to £250. Additionally, Hurley was required to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years and was issued a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, reflecting the gravity of his offenses and the need for ongoing monitoring.