PAUL RICKINSON OF DARLINGTON BRANDED 'EVERY PARENT'S NIGHTMARE' AFTER SEX WITH SCHOOLGIRL

In February 2012, a man from Darlington named Paul Rickinson was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of engaging in sexual activities with a teenage girl. The case, which drew significant attention, was described by the officer responsible for his arrest as highlighting a situation that every parent fears.

Paul Rickinson, aged 44, was still maintaining his innocence as he was taken into custody and sentenced in court. He claimed that the teenage girl involved had initiated the contact, asserting that she was the one who made all the running in their interactions. Despite his protests, evidence presented during the trial indicated otherwise.

During the proceedings at Teesside Crown Court, it was revealed that Rickinson, who was employed as a volunteer at an animal refuge, had sent the girl a birthday card that explicitly referenced her age, which was a key piece of evidence in the case. The court also heard that both the girl and a mutual acquaintance, who was aware of their close relationship, repeatedly warned Rickinson that the girl was underage.

Following a three-day trial last month, Rickinson was convicted on two counts of sexual activity with a minor. The case was subsequently adjourned to allow for the preparation of reports before sentencing.

On the day of sentencing, Judge Tony Briggs handed down a two-year prison term, emphasizing the severity of the case by stating, “The aggravating feature in this particular case is the age disparity between you and the child.” In addition to his prison sentence, Rickinson was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and was prohibited from working with children in any capacity.

Representing Rickinson, his barrister Victoria Lamballe argued that even if the girl had made the initial advances, as Rickinson claimed, he was an adult and should have resisted her advances. She described him as “more like a pathetic 40-something who was unable to resist.”

During the trial, it was also revealed that Rickinson instructed the girl to delete text messages from his phone and to remove any evidence of their contact from Facebook, although he claimed this was not for malicious reasons.

In his testimony, Rickinson admitted that he had asked the girl twice about her age, to which she responded that she was 16. However, the evidence and the circumstances of the case painted a different picture.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Jim Cunningham of Darlington police issued a stark warning. He described Rickinson as “one of the worst kinds of sexual predators – the sort every family fears.” He explained that Rickinson actively sought to gain the girl’s trust and affection through social media and her mobile phone, even attempting to turn her against her friends and family.

Sergeant Cunningham further detailed that Rickinson waited until his partner was away before luring the girl to his flat, where he took advantage of her. After the incident, he allegedly did everything possible to portray himself as the victim, refusing to accept responsibility for his actions.

The police officer concluded with advice to young girls, urging them to speak out if they feel uncomfortable around an older man, whether to parents, teachers, or the authorities, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding oneself from predators.