SCOTT JENNINGS FROM ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE SENTENCED FOR ABUSIVE ACTS IN MANCHESTER

In November 2006, Scott Jennings, 22, was involved in a disturbing case where he secretly lived beneath the bed of a 12-year-old girl for three months. Jennings, a fugitive at the time, had previously seduced the young girl after they met on a bus in the previous month. He convinced her to give him her mobile phone number and soon arranged to meet her again. During their meeting, Jennings claimed he was fleeing from police and needed a place to stay.

Jennings was fully aware of the girl’s age but managed to sneak into her house undetected. He cut a hole in the bottom of her divan bed frame, removing some wooden slats to create a hidden den, which he used as a base for three months. Throughout this period, Jennings would hide whenever the girl’s mother approached, remaining unseen in his secret hiding spot.

The girl’s mother was completely unaware of Jennings’ presence during this time. The alarm was raised in January when the girl left a note stating she had gone away and her parents need not worry. Police soon arrived and discovered Jennings hiding in the girl’s bed after her ten-year-old sister revealed his secret.

Later that day, police found Jennings with the girl at a flat in Fallowfield, Manchester. He denied kidnapping or any sexual activity with the girl but admitted to living at the flat for three months. Jennings pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, leading to a sentence of two years and three months imprisonment. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and prohibited from working with children.

Detective Constable David Don-lan from Ashton CID commented on the case, saying, 'This is an absolutely unbelievable case that has had a huge impact on the victim and her family. The girl Jennings abused was extremely young and vulnerable, and he exploited this for his own benefit. Not only did he live in her room for over three months, but he also systematically abused her. I hope the family can now begin to heal and move forward.'