SONNY HANFORD FROM NEWPORT JAILED FOR ABUSIVE INCIDENT WITH UNDERAGE GIRL IN CLYTHA CRESCENT

In a disturbing case that unfolded in Newport, a man named Sonny Hanford was found in a compromising situation with a young girl, leading to his subsequent arrest and conviction. The incident took place in the early hours of April 28, when police officers responded to a report from the girl’s mother, who had reported her daughter missing earlier that day.

Officers arrived at Hanford’s residence on Clytha Crescent in Newport just before 10am. Upon entering the premises, they made a shocking discovery: Sonny Hanford, aged 26, was found in bed with a girl who was under the age of 16. The court was told that Hanford was only wearing boxer shorts, while the girl was dressed in her underwear. In an apparent attempt to conceal their presence, both individuals pulled a blanket over their faces when the police entered the room.

Hanford was immediately taken into custody on charges of child abduction. During police questioning, he claimed that he had not coerced the girl and insisted that she had come to his home voluntarily, claiming she had been thrown out by her mother. However, the evidence and police reports painted a different picture. The girl’s mother had expressed ongoing concern for her daughter’s welfare since the beginning of the year, noting her difficulty in managing her behavior. The mother’s worries intensified when her daughter returned home with unexplained bruises, which she believed were inflicted by someone else.

Further investigations revealed that the police had previously issued an abduction notice to Hanford on April 7, warning him that any contact with the girl or allowing her into his home again could result in prosecution. Despite this warning, police found the girl in Hanford’s bed three weeks later, confirming that the notice had been breached.

During the court proceedings, defense lawyer Stephen Thomas argued that someone else had let the girl into Hanford’s house and that there was no evidence of coercion or violence. He emphasized that Hanford had never been violent towards the girl and wanted to clarify that he was not responsible for the bruises observed by her mother.

Judge David Wynn Morgan sentenced Sonny Hanford to 16 months in prison. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the breach of the abduction notice and criticized Hanford for not recognizing the risk when the girl came to his house. The judge stated, “When this young girl came to your house, you should have realized you were at risk and should have contacted others to take care of her. Instead, you committed a very serious offence.”

In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a restraining order that prohibits Hanford from making any contact with the girl until she turns 16. Hanford had pleaded guilty to the abduction charge as part of the court’s early guilty plea scheme. However, the judge expressed concern that not all facts were immediately available at the time of sentencing, as new information only emerged moments before the sentence was passed. The judge described this situation as “most unsatisfactory,” underscoring the gravity of the case and the breach of legal warnings.