RONALD FARRINGTON'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN STOCKBRIDGE AND NORTH WALES REVEALED

In September 2020, the dark history of Ronald Farrington, a convicted paedophile with ties to Stockbridge, was once again thrust into the public eye as new allegations and incidents surfaced. Farrington, who has a long and disturbing criminal record, was previously involved in a notorious grooming ring in North Wales, where he was filmed engaging in sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl. His past crimes, which include multiple convictions for sexual offences against minors, have cast a long shadow over his recent activities in Stockbridge and surrounding areas.

Farrington’s troubling history was brought to light after the mother of a young girl discovered his past through a Facebook post. The post revealed Farrington’s previous child abuse convictions, which had been kept hidden from the unsuspecting family. This revelation prompted the mother to report him to the police, leading to a series of events that culminated in his arrest and the destruction of his property.

Following his arrest, Farrington was forcibly removed from his residence in Stockbridge Village amid a hostile crowd that hurled abuse at him. The situation escalated when his unoccupied house was targeted in a suspected arson attack, causing significant damage to the property. The incident was part of a pattern of community outrage and vigilantism that has surrounded Farrington’s presence in the area.

Farrington, aged 60 at the time, had previously served a three-year prison sentence in 2006 after being caught on film sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl in North Wales. He had admitted to two counts of sexual activity with a child and taking indecent photographs, with the abuse described as systematic. Upon his release, he adopted the alias Ronnie Price and began a new life, during which he met a single mother through a lonely hearts advertisement. He dated her for nine months, during which police suspected he was grooming her eight-year-old daughter. As a precaution, an indefinite sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) was issued against him in March 2009, prohibiting him from contacting or being near children under 17.

Despite these restrictions, Farrington’s past continued to haunt him. In May of the current year, police had to intervene once again when community members in Stockbridge became aware of his history and gathered outside his home. Video footage captured officers escorting him into a police vehicle amid a barrage of verbal abuse. Just days later, his house was deliberately set on fire in what is believed to be an arson attack, causing extensive damage and further community concern.

The court proceedings revealed that Farrington had established a relationship with a new woman, through whom he befriended a local family and their young daughter. Prosecutor Jane Morris detailed how Farrington would bring treats for the girl, including Xbox games, chocolates, and sweets, and even treated the family to meals at a restaurant. The mother of the girl only learned of Farrington’s true past in May after seeing a Facebook post, which led her to report him to the authorities. She expressed her devastation and guilt, stating she had trusted Farrington and had no idea of his criminal background. Her victim statement conveyed her anguish, describing how she “tortured herself” with thoughts of what could have happened if Farrington had been left alone with her daughter.

Following his arrest, Farrington’s address was set ablaze, and his former partner, with whom he previously lived, severed all contact. Farrington admitted to breaching his SOPO on at least five occasions. His criminal record includes seven previous convictions for eleven offences, notably for breaching notification requirements and the SOPO itself in 2009 and 2010. Judge Anil Murray sentenced Farrington to 16 months in prison, emphasizing the betrayal felt by the child’s parents, who were unaware of his past and felt “crushed” and “betrayed” by his lies.

In a related case from March 2009, a woman who believed she was forming a genuine relationship with Farrington discovered he was a convicted paedophile using a false name. The woman, a single mother, had been deceived into believing Farrington was a care worker at a bail hostel. Police obtained an indefinite sexual offences prevention order against him, citing fears he was grooming her eight-year-old daughter. The court heard how Farrington had kept his criminal history secret, despite attending children’s birthday parties and using images of the girl to create personalized items like a computer mouse mat. The mother, overwhelmed by the revelation, tearfully recounted her shock and the betrayal she felt.

Earlier, in 2006, Farrington was among six men jailed for their involvement in a series of sexual offences against a 13-year-old girl on beaches in North Wales. The men, including Lloyd, Kenny, Foulkes, Coleclough, McIlroy, and Ketland, received sentences ranging from 21 months to over three years. They had been identified through a BBC Crimewatch appeal, which led to their swift arrest. The court heard how these men had systematically engaged in sexual acts with the girl over a period of more than a year, often in public locations such as beaches and in private settings, with some filming the acts. All were banned from working with children and required to register as sex offenders.

In a particularly heinous case from 2006, six men, including Farrington, were convicted of abusing the same girl in various locations across North Wales and the Wirral. The court described their actions as treating the girl as a “sexual object” without regard for her feelings or well-being. The judge condemned their conduct as among the “most evil and unpleasant” he had encountered, emphasizing the long-lasting damage inflicted on the victim.

Adding to his criminal notoriety, in October 2007, Farrington was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years after being convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Dorothy Carre, in 1999. The jury found that Farrington had repeatedly stabbed her in their Rochdale home before burying her in a cellar, where her remains went undiscovered for eight years. The case was uncovered after her daughter, Lynn Edwards, saw Lawlor on Crimewatch and reported him. The police then found her remains beneath the floor of his house, with evidence indicating she was stabbed multiple times. Lawlor, already serving an indeterminate sentence for child sex offences, denied ever living at the address and claimed she had left him for Ireland. The court heard of his previous violent convictions, including attacks on former girlfriends, and his attempts to harm others with electric shocks and stabbing.

Throughout the proceedings, the family of Dorothy Carre expressed profound grief and anger, highlighting how Lawlor’s actions had devastated their lives. Detective Inspector Dave Lever described the case as horrific, noting the long years of suffering endured by the family while Lawlor continued his criminal activities. The case also raised concerns about police investigations into missing persons reports, as Mrs. Carre’s family had reported her missing multiple times, but little was done until her remains were finally discovered in 2007. The family considered filing a formal complaint against the police for their earlier handling of her disappearance, criticizing the lack of thorough investigation at the time.

Overall, the cases of Ronald Farrington reveal a pattern of heinous crimes, deception, and community betrayal. His criminal history, spanning decades, underscores the importance of vigilance and the devastating impact of unchecked predatory behaviour. The community in Stockbridge and North Wales continues to grapple with the aftermath of his actions, and justice remains a critical pursuit for the victims and their families.