ROLAND MOULLES CASTLEFORD PAEDOPHILE SENTENCED FOR MOLESTATION OF YOUNG GIRLS IN WEST YORKSHIRE

In a case that has shocked the community of Castleford and the surrounding areas, Roland Moules, aged 49, was sentenced to four years in prison for the sexual abuse of two young girls. Moules, who has a lengthy criminal history of sex offences spanning over two decades, was found guilty of indecently assaulting a nine-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl on separate occasions during the summer of 2001.

His previous convictions include serious offences such as the rape of a probation officer, and he has been in and out of the criminal justice system since 1979. Despite his prior record, Moules was released from prison in February 2000, only to reoffend shortly thereafter. The recent offences came to light after the girls, who had initially met Moules at Pontefract Park, visited his home on Grafton Street in Castleford to see puppies. The girls recounted that they had been lured into Moules's house under the pretext of going to car boot sales early in the mornings, a routine that Moules exploited to carry out his offences.

During the trial held in August, the jury convicted Moules of the two charges. It was revealed in court that Moules had admitted to groping the older girl on multiple occasions. The court heard disturbing details of his conduct, including camping trips where he asked the older girl to sleep between him and his wife, and even asked her to swim naked with him. One morning, she awoke to find Moules naked beside her, and when she refused his request for sex, he fondled her breasts. The younger girl was also subjected to inappropriate touching, with Moules instructing her to massage his back and then touching her breasts during the same incident.

Prosecutor Jonathan Gibson described how Moules had taken the girls on trips and exploited their trust. The court was told that Moules had also engaged in inappropriate behaviour during these outings, including asking the older girl to sleep between him and his wife and asking her to swim naked. The court heard that Moules had taken advantage of the girls' innocence and vulnerability, knowing they came from troubled backgrounds.

In his defense, Sir Ivan Lawrence, representing Moules, argued that his offences were not among the most severe of indecent assaults, emphasizing that there was no violence or threats involved. He acknowledged that Moules exhibited some paedophilic tendencies but insisted there was no escalation of his offences. The defense highlighted Moules's long history of convictions, which included sexual offences against both boys and girls under 14, dating back to 1979.

Judge James Stewart QC delivered the sentence, condemning Moules for exploiting a vulnerable child who had a troubled home life. The judge pointed out that Moules had admitted to touching the older girl’s breasts on multiple occasions, despite denying it during the trial. He emphasized that Moules had betrayed the trust placed in him by the girls’ parents and had taken advantage of their innocence.

Sentencing Moules to two years for each of the two offences, to be served consecutively, Judge Stewart stressed the importance of protecting the public from further harm. Additionally, he extended Moules’s period of licence following his release to ten years, during which he could be recalled to prison if he committed any similar offences. The judge also expressed concern over the police’s effectiveness in monitoring Moules, despite his inclusion on the sex offenders’ register since 1998. A police report since submitted indicated that procedures had been improved to prevent such lapses in the future, but the case highlighted ongoing issues in offender management and public safety.