A paedophile, Damien Hughes, who engaged in sexual relations with an underage girl after grooming her online has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison.
Bradford Crown Court was informed that Damien Hughes created a fraudulent Instagram account under the alias “Simon” and submitted a friend request to the adolescent.
During the subsequent three months, they exchanged communications that turned sexual in nature, culminating in him sending a video of himself engaging in masturbation.
Damien Hughes solicited nude images from the minor and urged her to consent to a meeting in a hotel for sexual purposes, fully aware that she was below the age of consent.
During the school holidays, they convened three times, and on two instances, Damien Hughes, now 41, engaged in sexual intercourse with the girl in his vehicle.
The court was informed that the girl attempted to terminate the situation, but Damien Hughes expressed that he would miss her and was “truly distressed.”
A relative of the girl uncovered the relationship while noticing a message from Damien Hughes on her phone and replied while impersonating her.
He subsequently examined her Instagram account and discovered sexually explicit images and videos, along with messages coordinating a meeting.
The police were notified, and upon arrest, Damien Hughes provided “no comment” responses during the interview.
The examination of his phone revealed his travel history to meet the female, and CCTV footage confirmed their presence at the location.
A forensic analysis of his vehicle uncovered signs of sexual behaviour.
The adolescent identified Damien Hughes in an identity parade, but he rejected the charges and proceeded to trial, where a jury convicted him guilty.
In a victim impact statement presented to the court by prosecutor Laura McBride, the youngster expressed that her encounters with Hughes had rendered her feeling “extremely concerned, anxious, and intimidated,” as he had exploited her vulnerabilities.
She disclosed that she had participated in therapy and experienced trust issues that affected her past relationships.
She stated, “Every day I must endure the memories and flashbacks of his actions towards me.”
During the sentencing of Damien Hughes, from Westbourne Grove, Halifax, at Bradford Crown Court, Mr. Recorder Andrew Haslam KC stated that Hughes had refuted his offences “despite compelling evidence.”
He sentenced Damien Hughes to six and a half years of incarceration, mandated a ten-year sexual harm prevention order, and stipulated that he must register as a sex offender for life.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.