PAUL CONNOLLY BRADFORD SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR ABUSING YOUNG GIRLS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bradford, a 56-year-old man named Paul Connolly has been sentenced to 33 months in prison after being found guilty of multiple charges related to the sexual abuse of two young girls. The offences span over several years, with the first incident occurring in the late 1990s and the subsequent abuse taking place in 2012.

Connolly, who resides on Bayne Drive in Bierley, Bradford, was convicted by a jury at Bradford Crown Court of four separate charges. These included indecently assaulting a girl under the age of ten at his home during the late 1990s, as well as four counts of sexually assaulting a girl under 13 in 2012. The court heard how Connolly groomed his victims through a series of manipulative actions, including lavishing gifts such as clothing and CDs to gain their trust.

During the trial, evidence was presented that detailed Connolly’s inappropriate behaviour. He undid the trousers of one girl while she was watching a film at his residence and touched her indecently, touching her bottom and breasts. The second girl, whom he befriended and groomed, was repeatedly subjected to sexual abuse over a period of time. The jury was also shown disturbing text messages that Connolly sent to the 12-year-old victim, along with photographs of young girls, including the victim, stored on his phone. These images revealed a troubling pattern of predatory behaviour and a clear obsession with young girls.

Following the verdict, Connolly’s legal representative, Jeremy Hill-Baker, highlighted his client’s recent health issues, including surgery for stomach cancer. He expressed concern that the prison sentence would be particularly difficult for Connolly and noted that upon release, he would be unable to return to his long-standing residence in Bradford.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC delivered a stern judgment, condemning Connolly’s actions as “utterly inappropriate, highly disturbing and quite disgusting.” The judge emphasized that the text messages and photographs demonstrated a disturbing predilection for young girls and accused Connolly of grooming his victims with gifts to facilitate his abuse. The judge stated, “It was wholly inappropriate for you, in your mid-fifties, to lavish such affection on a young girl. You groomed her with presents of money and clothes, and so on, so you could abuse her in such a way that she would think it was normal and not complain.”

He further described Connolly as “obsessed,” noting that he harassed and frightened the girls, and that the victim’s fear was the primary reason she eventually reported the abuse. The judge labeled Connolly as “potentially a quite dangerous sex offender,” reflecting the severity of his misconduct.

To ensure ongoing protection for the victims and prevent future harm, Judge Durham Hall imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and ordered Connolly to sign the sex offenders’ register for life. The case was met with praise from authorities, including Detective Constable Richard Dove of the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit, who commended the victims for their bravery in coming forward. Dove expressed hope that the sentence would help provide some closure for the victims and reaffirmed the commitment of the safeguarding team to thoroughly investigate all reports of sexual abuse, whether recent or historic, with the aim of bringing perpetrators to justice.