PAUL ROE FROM BATLEY SENTENCED AFTER VIOLENT ATTACKS IN LEEDS AND HUDDERSFIELD

In a series of alarming and violent incidents across West Yorkshire, Paul Roe, a known offender from Batley, was brought before Leeds Crown Court and subsequently sentenced to a lengthy prison term for his disturbing actions. Roe's criminal behavior included assault, harassment, and breaches of court orders, highlighting a pattern of dangerous conduct that posed a serious threat to the public.

One of the most shocking episodes occurred at Dewsbury bus station on July 20 of this year. CCTV footage captured Roe approaching a 17-year-old girl, grabbing her by the hair, and then violently punching her in the head a total of 17 times. The assault was brutal, with Roe continuing his attack by kicking the girl twice in the back after she had fallen to the ground. Fortunately, members of the public intervened, stopping the assault before further harm could be inflicted. The court was informed that Roe had previously approached the same girl months earlier, making sexual remarks, which added a disturbing context to his recent actions.

Earlier, on September 29 of the previous year, Roe was involved in a street attack on St Johns Road in Huddersfield. He approached a couple walking with their three-year-old daughter and became verbally abusive. As the couple called the police, Roe continued to follow them and then approached the woman, wielding a length of wood. To defend herself, she crouched down and placed her bag over her head, but Roe struck her with the weapon, which broke during the attack. Her husband attempted to intervene and suffered a broken finger in the process. This incident demonstrated Roe’s unpredictable and violent nature, especially as it occurred in front of a young child.

Further troubling behavior was documented on May 16 of this year when Roe followed two schoolgirls, aged 14 and 15, along Halifax Road in Dewsbury. The girls, dressed in school uniforms, sought help by entering a shop, but Roe waited outside. When they left, he continued to follow them and made sexual comments. The situation escalated when Roe threw a large stone that struck one of the girls on the arm. At the time, Roe was under a sexual harm prevention order due to a previous sexual offense involving a young girl, underscoring the seriousness of his actions and the risk he posed.

Roe, who has no fixed address but was previously residing on Maythorne Avenue in Batley, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, possession of an offensive weapon, and breaches of a sexual harm prevention order. His criminal record and the nature of his offenses led the court to impose a custodial sentence of four years, followed by an extended six-year period on licence. The judge, Recorder John Thackray, described Roe’s conduct as part of a very disturbing and long-running pattern of offending, emphasizing the serious risk Roe continues to pose to the community.

These incidents underscore the ongoing concerns about public safety and the importance of strict legal measures to prevent individuals like Roe from causing further harm in towns like Batley, Dewsbury, and Huddersfield.