Latest news with #AshleyDarbyshire
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Inside the monsters' lair: How paedophiles raped underage girls in 'filthy hovel'... and the sick nickname they gave it
Shocking pictures have revealed the 'filthy hovel' used by a grooming gang to abuse underage girls after plying them with drugs and alcohol. The decrepit property, in Blackrod near Bolton, was described as a 'lawless den of iniquity' by a horrified judge as he sentenced the 10 depraved abusers this week. They were called 'monsters' by their terrified victims who were forced to down booze and take cannabis and cocaine before being raped. Another girl was so traumatised she told police she would 'rather be dead' than re-live what she experienced in that house of horrors. During the trial it was revealed that the gang had a twisted nickname for their lair – 'the party house'. Chilling images have now revealed the disgusting conditions the girls were forced to endure. Bedrooms covered in dirt, scattered belongings, drugs detritus and revolting grime-covered pillows and duvets. Bins are seen overflowing with rubbish and almost every surface is full with empty beer cans, discarded items or food containers. Both rooms are a mess with clothes and bags thrown around the place without a second thought A cabinet in one of the bedrooms shows crude images of male genitalia surrounded by messy writing and childlike scribbles. Mattresses in the two bedrooms are spotted with unsightly brown patches with clothes, including a novelty Tasmanian Devil tie, left thrown everywhere. The bathroom is covered in dirt and grime with thick greasy patches on the floor and empty shower gel bottles left dumped on surfaces. A single pink toothbrush can be seen chucked at the sight of the filthy toilet. Outside two children's scooters are dumped in the back garden next to forgotten patio furniture and more scattered rubbish. The final six members of the gang were jailed yesterday at Liverpool Crown Court following a three month trial. Victims described the men as 'monsters' led by ringleader Ashley Darbyshire, 28. Speaking on Monday, Judge Simon Medland said as he jailed Darbyshire: 'In time you introduced [one of the victims] to your friends and acquaintances and the community of drug takers, drinkers and wastrels at the Vicarage Road West address of Cory Barrett which had become a lawless den of iniquity, a filthy hovel in which sexual offending, drug taking and drinking took place.' Darbyshire was jailed for 15 years after he admitted a string of 19 offences involving five girls - including one of raping a naked 15-year-old girl after tying her up before another defendant also raped her. A closer look reveals a chilling remnant of what used to be a family home as a young child is pictured Disturbing images show how bins overflow with rubbish and empty crisp packets lie scattered on the floor The court heard Darbyshire had a specific sexual interest in young teenage girls, having deliberately groomed and repeatedly sexually abused one victim from the age of 13. 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 inquiries resulted in thirteen men charged with more than 50 child grooming sex offences including raping girls as young as 14. In total, ten members of the abhorrent gang have been sentenced to almost 87 years behind bars - with one being handed a suspended sentence. Darbyshire would befriend the girls online and messaged them on social media before convincing them to meet him. The callous behaviour came to light after one of the men 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. 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 the 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.' 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.
ITV News
29-04-2025
- ITV News
Man with 'crazed attitude to sex' jailed after abuse of schoolgirl in 'den of iniquity' in Bolton
Mel Barham reports on the sentencing of Ashley Darbyshire at Liverpool Crown Court A man with a 'crazed attitude to sex' groomed a schoolgirl and then enjoyed watching others further degrade her in a 'den of iniquity', a judge has said. Ashley Darbyshire, 28, targeted his victim from the age of 13 with sexualised messages on Facebook and repeated demands to meet her in person. His offending began after he kissed her when she was wearing her school uniform and told her: 'You're gonna do it one day, you might as well just do it now.' The complainant became 'infatuated' with Darbyshire who went on to rape her twice at a house in Bolton, Greater Manchester, described at Liverpool Crown Court as a 'filthy hovel'. Sentencing Darbyshire on Monday 28 April to 15 years in jail, Judge Simon Medland KC told him: 'You cajoled and threatened her and pretended to have affection for her. 'She was simply a simply object to you, a human sexual commodity which you consumed as and when you wished. 'Your treatment of her was coldly sexualised and you manipulated her in your ways. 'In time you introduced her to your friends…and a lawless den of iniquity in which drugtaking, drinking of alcohol and sexual offending took place. 'That introduction helped you to further sexually deprave (the complainaint). 'I am quite sure this process and its outcomes were themselves sexually satisfying for you. 'You enjoyed seeing her being abused in this way. 'You had a crazed attitude to sex which in the main was an exercise of power and control.' The court heard that Derbyshire, who groomed his victim from when he was aged 19, had a 'long history' of sexualised conduct with teenage girls who he also contacted online. Last month he also admitted committing sexual offences against four other complainants including the rape of a girl aged 15. He was due to go on trial last year with his co-defendants but had a brain haemorrhage in August. Due to his condition Darbyshire, of Westhoughton, Bolton, was now unable to recall his offending, the court was told. In February eight other men were convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of various sexual offences against the complainant who was groomed from the age of 13. Also sentenced on Monday was Brandon Harwood, 25, from Bolton, who was jailed for 10 years for offences of rape, attempted rape and sexual activity with a child. Ross Corley, 30, of Bolton, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of sexual activity with a child and was jailed for 28 months. Harvie Aspden, 25, of Bury, received a 15-month jail term, suspended for two years, after he was convicted of sexual activity with the complainant when he was 17 and she was aged 14. Six other men will be sentenced on Tuesday, 29 April. In her victim personal statement read to the court, the complainant said: 'I'd rather be dead most days than deal with all this mental torture and memories. 'I shouldn't have had to grow up so young and spend the rest of my life 'healing' from what these monsters did to me, leaving me in my own prison I built for myself in my own mind for the rest of my life. 'Ashley destroyed me in every possible way he could. He knew exactly how to work me and what to say to make me do anything he wanted. He had a hold over me and to this day I question why. 'He took everything I had. He trained me like a dog, with drugs and emotions and using behavioural conditioning tactics. 'He ruined my life.' Detective Inspector Samantha Perry, from Bolton CID, said: 'I am glad that this group of abhorrent individuals have been handed substantial sentences and are off the streets of Bolton and where they belong, behind bars. 'I want to thank the victim-survivors that all came forward and put their trust in us to disclose the awful things that were done to them by these predatory men while they were trying to go about their lives as normal teenage girls should be able to do.'
Rhyl Journal
28-04-2025
- Rhyl Journal
Man jailed after abuse of schoolgirl in ‘den of iniquity'
Ashley Darbyshire, 28, targeted his victim from the age of 13 with sexualised messages on Facebook and repeated demands to meet her in person. His offending began after he kissed her when she was wearing her school uniform and told her: 'You're gonna do it one day, you might as well just do it now.' The complainant became 'infatuated' with Darbyshire who went on to rape her twice at a house in Bolton, Greater Manchester, described at Liverpool Crown Court as a 'filthy hovel'. Sentencing Darbyshire on Monday to 15 years in jail, Judge Simon Medland KC told him: 'You cajoled and threatened her and pretended to have affection for her. 'She was simply a simply object to you, a human sexual commodity which you consumed as and when you wished. 'Your treatment of her was coldly sexualised and you manipulated her in your ways. 'In time you introduced her to your friends…and a lawless den of iniquity in which drugtaking, drinking of alcohol and sexual offending took place. 'That introduction helped you to further sexually deprave (the complainaint). 'I am quite sure this process and its outcomes were themselves sexually satisfying for you. 'You enjoyed seeing her being abused in this way. 'You had a crazed attitude to sex which in the main was an exercise of power and control.' The court heard that Derbyshire, who groomed his victim from when he was aged 19, had a 'long history' of sexualised conduct with teenage girls who he also contacted online. Last month he also admitted committing sexual offences against four other complainants including the rape of a girl aged 15. He was due to go on trial last year with his co-defendants but had a brain haemorrhage in August. Due to his condition Darbyshire, of Westhoughton, Bolton, was now unable to recall his offending, the court was told. In February eight other men were convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of various sexual offences against the complainant who was groomed from the age of 13. Also sentenced on Monday was Brandon Harwood, 25, from Bolton, who was jailed for 10 years for offences of rape, attempted rape and sexual activity with a child. Ross Corley, 30, of Bolton, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of sexual activity with a child and was jailed for 28 months. Harvie Aspden, 25, of Bury, received a 15-month jail term, suspended for two years, after he was convicted of sexual activity with the complainant when he was 17 and she was aged 14. Six other men will be sentenced on Tuesday. In her victim personal statement read to the court, the complainant said: 'I'd rather be dead most days than deal with all this mental torture and memories. 'I shouldn't have had to grow up so young and spend the rest of my life 'healing' from what these monsters did to me, leaving me in my own prison I built for myself in my own mind for the rest of my life. 'Ashley destroyed me in every possible way he could. He knew exactly how to work me and what to say to make me do anything he wanted. He had a hold over me and to this day I question why. 'He took everything I had. He trained me like a dog, with drugs and emotions and using behavioural conditioning tactics. 'He ruined my life.' Detective Inspector Samantha Perry, from Bolton CID, said: 'I am glad that this group of abhorrent individuals have been handed substantial sentences and are off the streets of Bolton and where they belong, behind bars. 'I want to thank the victim-survivors that all came forward and put their trust in us to disclose the awful things that were done to them by these predatory men while they were trying to go about their lives as normal teenage girls should be able to do.'
