WILLIAM KEY SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES IN DERBYSHIRE AND HEATHROW
In a case that has shocked the local community and raised serious concerns about child safety, William Key, a man with ties to Derbyshire, was arrested at Heathrow Airport as he returned to the United Kingdom from New Zealand.The arrest came three years after he had committed a series of heinous sexual assaults on young girls, spanning over a five-year period.
William Key, aged 31 at the time of his arrest, had previously preyed on six young girls from four different families.
The abuse was only brought to light when two of the victims, who were sisters, wrote a letter detailing their experiences to their parents.
This letter prompted their mother to investigate further, leading to the discovery of Key’s disturbing history.
Authorities learned that Key had emigrated to New Zealand after the abuse, but they also found out that he was expected to return to the UK.
Acting swiftly, police in Derbyshire coordinated with their counterparts in New Zealand, who confirmed that Key was on a flight back to Britain.
Law enforcement officials were waiting at Heathrow Airport to arrest him as he disembarked from the plane.
Following his arrest, William Key was taken into custody and subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison for his multiple offences against young girls.
The court proceedings revealed the disturbing extent of his crimes, which included sexual touching of the sisters, aged between 11 and 13 at the time of the abuse, as well as assaults on four other victims aged four, six, ten, and twelve.
Prosecutor Sarah Slater detailed how the mother of the two sisters discovered a letter from her daughters after they had gone to bed in February of that year.
Reading the letter, she was overwhelmed with horror, feeling “sick and extremely guilty and upset.” She described William Key’s behavior as “devious and manipulative,” highlighting the calculated nature of his actions.
The court heard that Key’s abuse ranged from inappropriate touching over clothing to more invasive contact beneath the clothing, in the case of one of the girls.
Additionally, he had sent suggestive MSN messages to two of the older girls, further demonstrating his manipulative tactics.
In one instance, he sent a text message to a girl asking, “whether she would ever get with him,” to which she responded “no.” One particularly disturbing incident involved Key touching a four-year-old girl indecently while playing a game, during which he had picked her up and spun her around.
These acts of abuse were detailed during the court proceedings, painting a picture of a man who exploited his access to vulnerable children.
Judge Michael Fowler, presiding over the case, condemned Key’s actions, stating, “You preyed on these young girls.” He also pointed out that the girls’ families had invited Key into their homes, believing he was socially isolated after moving to Derby to study at the university.
The judge emphasized that the families had gone out of their way to help him integrate into the community, only to be betrayed by his abuse.
Judge Fowler further remarked, “On occasions, you were given access to their children, and you took advantage of that and to varying degrees you abused these children.” William Key admitted to 16 charges of sexual assault against children.
His defense attorney, Justin Ablott, acknowledged the severity of the allegations, stating, “The most serious allegations arrived here at court because of the admissions he made and were from victims the police were unaware of.” Mr.
Ablott also mentioned that Key, whose home address was listed as Newton, New Zealand, was genuinely remorseful for his actions.
As part of his sentence, William Key is required to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and is prohibited from working with children in the future.
Upon release from prison, he will also be subject to a sexual offences prevention order, which forbids him from being alone with girls under 16 and from approaching within 50 metres of nurseries, schools, or colleges.
Following the sentencing, a police spokeswoman confirmed that authorities had taken proactive steps when the offences were initially reported.
They contacted police in New Zealand and requested to be informed if Key attempted to leave the country.
When he boarded a flight back to the UK, New Zealand police alerted Derbyshire officers, who then arrested him at Heathrow.
The court did not specify the reasons for his return to Britain, but the swift action by law enforcement underscores the seriousness with which this case was handled.
