‘Malign’ members of a Bolton child sex grooming gang who raped and sexually assaulted vulnerable under-age girls in a ‘den of iniquity’ have been put behind bars for almost 87 years.
Victims of the gang described the men as ‘monsters’ led by ringleader Ashley Darbyshire, 28, as one said she would ‘rather be dead’ than be forced to live with the memories of what she had been through.
Darbyshire last month pleaded guilty to two offences of raping an underage girl – one occurring after he tied her up – and 10 offences of sexual activity with the same girl while she was aged between 13 and 15 in the Blackrod area.
He also admitted raping another underage girl and inciting her to engage in sexual activity, inciting another girl to engage in sexual activity and two offences of sexual activity with a fourth victim who he also incited to engage in sexual activity.
He also pleaded guilty to making Category C indecent images of another girl.
The gang members were arrested in 2023 following Greater Manchester Police launching Operation Pavarotti, the force’s investigation into child sexual exploitation allegations in the area.
The investigations resulted in thirteen men charged with more than 50 child grooming sex offences including raping girls as young as 14.
Now ten members of the abhorrent gang have been sentenced to almost 87 years behind bars – with one being handed a suspended sentence.
Many of the offences involving the main victim took place when she was aged between 13 and 15 at a ‘party house’ in the Blackrod area near Bolton, the home of one of the defendants.
Judge Simon Medland, KC described it as ‘a den of iniquity, a filthy hovel of drug taking, drinking and sexual offending.’
Darbyshire would befriend the girls online and messaged them on social media before convincing them to meet him.
The youngsters were plied with alcohol, cannabis and cocaine by the men, some of whom were drug dealers, and other girls were also groomed and sexually exploited by the gang.
Their appalling callous behaviour came to light after one of them crashed a stolen car at high speed in 2018 while drunk, causing injury to main, then-15-year-old victim who informed officers what had been going on.
Darbyshire and three other men were sentenced yesterday, and today a further six appeared at Liverpool Crown Court.
The gang received immediate prison sentences ranging between 17 years and two years.
Darbyshire, of Westhoughton, admitted his role involving five under-age girls and the others were convicted of sex offences following a three month trial.
On the day he was due to give evidence he suddenly changed his pleas to guilty.
Darbyshire, 28, was jailed for 15 years, Daniel James Flatters, 34, was jailed for seven years, Richard Haslam, 36, was jailed for 16 years, Jack Poulson, 32, was jailed for 17 years and Corey Barrett, 24, was jailed for 12 years.
Brandon Harwood, 25, was jailed for 10 years, Ross Corley, 30, was jailed for two years and four months, Elliott Turner, 26, was jailed for two years, James Fitzgerald, 36, was jailed for five years and six months, and Harvie Aspden, 25, was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison, suspended for two years.
After sentencing the final culprit today Judge Simon Medland, KC praised the police for their investigative work, singling out PC Robert Booth for his determined efforts and ‘calm insistence’ that justice would be done.
Giving victim impact statements to court one girl said: ‘This is the story of how these individuals destroyed my life forever.
‘I think nothing can hurt me as bad as what they did to me, but I’m still terrified of everything and everyone around me. I can’t even go outside on my own.
‘I suffered every form of abuse from each of these individuals, and they continue to haunt me every day. What they don’t realise is it’s not okay to take someone’s life just to get a quick fix.
‘I’d rather be dead most days than deal with all this mental torture and memories.
‘Because of these men, I will never be able to live a normal life again. I’m too scared just to do simple tasks such as going outside or holding down a job, even simply being naked.’
To conclude, she added: ‘I am forced, by my own brain, to relive every second with these vile people, over and over again. No amount of prison time for them can make that go away. I live in my own prison now and that is what they have done to me.’
Ben Lawrence, prosecuting, told the court: ‘At various times she [the victim] considered herself to be in relationship with a number of the defendants.
‘However, the feeling wasn’t mutual. Defendants committed both consensual and non-consensual offences against her.
‘They were, of course, content if she consented to sexual activity. However, if she didn’t consent they would do it anyway.’
He said that the defendants were part of ‘a malign friendship group, which sought to prey on her once it became clear that another man had been able to have sex with her repeatedly.’
After today’s hearing, CPS North West Senior Crown Prosecutor Gill Petrovic said, ‘The way the men groomed and coerced the young girls from their community for their own sexual gratification was manipulative and appalling.
‘They exploited the girls with no concern for them or the impact the abuse from a young age would have on their lives.
‘Sexual abuse can cause lifelong physical and emotional trauma. As their abusers begin their sentences, I hope the women can now begin to move forward knowing that because of their evidence and support, the men have been brought to justice.
‘The CPS is dedicated to pursuing justice for victims of child sexual abuse and will continue to work with our policing partners to prosecute the perpetrators of these heinous acts – no matter how much time has passed since they committed their crimes.’
