Latest news with #Bolton
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Predatory' sex offender who raped two underage girls has sentence increased
A 'predatory sexual offender' who abused five underage girls, two of whom he raped, has had his jail sentence increased at the Court of Appeal. Ashley Darbyshire was imprisoned for 15 years in April after admitting 19 offences, including rape, sexual activity with a child and making indecent images. One victim, referred to as V1, was abused by the 28-year-old over two years, beginning when she was just 13. During that time, Darbyshire introduced her to eight other offenders who also abused her in the Blackrod and Adlington areas of Bolton, Greater Manchester, and who were jailed alongside him at Liverpool Crown Court. The Solicitor General referred all nine sentences to the Court of Appeal, claiming they were 'unduly lenient' and should be increased. In a ruling on Wednesday, three senior judges ruled that Darbyshire's sentence should be raised to 18-and-a-half years, but dismissed the bids to increase the jail terms in the other cases. Lord Justice Edis, sitting with Mr Justice Butcher and Judge Angela Morris, said: 'Darbyshire was significantly more culpable than anyone else in this case, having committed 19 offences against five victims. 'He is a predatory sexual offender who targets child victims, albeit ones who are not under the age of 13. 'The fact that they were only just past their 13th birthday is, in his case, a highly material factor. 'The persistent and entrenched nature of his behaviour in targeting not just one 13 to 14-year-old child, but five, is also a highly material factor.' Darbyshire first contacted V1 on social media in 2016, when she was aged 13 and he was 19. He went on to abuse her until she was 15, raping her twice, and abusing four other girls aged under 16, one of whom he also raped. Sentencing him, Judge Simon Medland KC said Darbyshire had a 'crazed attitude to sex' and that he treated V1 as a 'human sexual commodity'. The judge said much of the abuse took place in a house in Blackrod, which he described as a 'lawless den of iniquity' and a 'filthy hovel'. Darbyshire also introduced V1 to the other defendants: Cory Barrett, Jack Poulson, Brandon Harwood, Richard Haslam, Elliot Turner, James Fitzgerald, Ross Corley and Daniel Bainbridge-Flatters. They were jailed for between two and 17 years for a combined 37 offences against V1, with Poulson, Harwood, Barrett and Haslam convicted of raping her. In her victim personal statement read out at sentencing, V1 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.' Barrett, 24, from Wigan, was jailed for 12 years after being convicted of five counts of rape and one of assault by penetration. Poulson, 32, from Bolton, was jailed for 17 years after being convicted of 11 offences, including two counts of rape. Harwood, 25, from Bolton, was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of rape, attempted rape and sexual activity with a child. Haslam, 36, from Bolton, was jailed for 16 years after being convicted of seven offences, including three counts of rape. Turner, 27, from Bolton, was jailed for two years after being convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child. Fitzgerald, 37, from Bolton, was jailed for five-and-a-half years after being convicted of assault by penetration. Corley, 30, from Bolton, was jailed for two years and four months after admitting two counts of sexual activity with a child. Bainbridge-Flatters, 35, from Bolton, was jailed for seven years after being convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a child, and pleading guilty to supplying cocaine and aggravated vehicle taking. Lord Justice Edis, Mr Justice Butcher and Judge Morris also dismissed bids by Poulson and Harwood to appeal against their sentences on Wednesday. Following the ruling, Solicitor General Lucy Rigby said: 'Ashley Darbyshire raped two underage girls and abused three more. 'I referred his case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, and I welcome the court's increase to his sentence today.'
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Bolton 'predatory' sex offender has sentence increased
A "predatory" sexual offender who abused five underage girls, two of whom he raped, has had his jail sentence increased at the Court of Darbyshire was imprisoned for 15 years in April after admitting 19 offences, including rape, sexual activity with a child and making indecent victim, referred to as V1, was abused by the 28-year-old over two years, beginning when she was just sentence was referred to the court by the Solicitor General, who claimed it was "unduly lenient", and earlier three senior judges ruled Darbyshire's sentence should be increased to 18 and a half years. During the time Darbyshire was abusing V1, he introduced her to eight other offenders - Cory Barrett, Jack Poulson, Brandon Harwood, Richard Haslam, Elliot Turner, James Fitzgerald, Ross Corley and Daniel Bainbridge-Flatters, who abused her in the Blackrod and Adlington areas of Bolton, Greater were jailed alongside Darbyshire at Liverpool Crown were jailed for between two and 17 years for a combined 37 offences against V1, with Poulson, Harwood, Barrett and Haslam convicted of raping Solicitor General also referred their sentences to the Court of Appeal, but these cases were dismissed by the judges. 'Entrenched behaviour' Lord Justice Edis, sitting with Mr Justice Butcher and Judge Angela Morris, said: "Darbyshire was significantly more culpable than anyone else in this case, having committed 19 offences against five victims."He said Darbyshire "is a predatory sexual offender who targets child victims", adding that "the persistent and entrenched nature of his behaviour in targeting not just one 13 to 14-year-old child, but five, is also a highly material factor".Darbyshire first contacted V1 on social media in 2016, when she was aged 13 and he was 19, the court went on to abuse her until she was 15, raping her twice, and abusing four other girls aged under 16, one of whom he also him, Judge Simon Medland KC said Darbyshire had a "crazed attitude to sex" and that he treated V1 as a "human sexual commodity".In her victim personal statement read out at sentencing, V1 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."Lord Justice Edis, Mr Justice Butcher and Judge Morris also dismissed bids by Poulson and Harwood to appeal against their sentences on Wednesday. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Police carry out dawn raids in Bolton and make 2 arrests
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs as part of a county lines crackdown Greater Manchester Police (GMP) arrested the two following early morning warrants in Leonard Street and Tarleton Place in Bolton. The raids came as part of their efforts to disrupt county lines drug supply networks. A 17-year-old and 19-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of drug supply offences and remain in custody for questioning. Officers also recovered a small quantity of cannabis and cocaine, around £6,000 in cash and two weapons - a canister of CS spray and a large double-bladed knife. Have a story? Get in touch at Detective superintendent Joe Harrop said: 'These arrests are another strong example of the relentless work our officers are doing to dismantle county lines networks and protect vulnerable people from exploitation. 'We are committed to making Greater Manchester a hostile environment for those involved in drug supply. Every line we close is a step closer to safer streets and stronger communities. 'We urge anyone with information about drug activity in their area to come forward – your support is vital in helping us bring offenders to justice.' READ MORE: Ashley Darbyshire sentence increased after review READ MORE: Bolton arrests made as part of investigation into money laundering READ MORE: Deane Road is centre of No More Flowers campaign today GMP said that as part of their wider strategy to disrupt the operations of county lines gangs, they have successfully closed 100 lines so far this financial year. They said this puts them on track to surpass last year's record of 181 closures. Since forming in late 2022, the County Lines Task Force said they've shut down over 400 lines, disrupting the supply of drugs and its associated violence.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
‘Predatory' sex offender who raped two underage girls has sentence increased
A 'predatory sexual offender' who abused five underage girls, two of whom he raped, has had his jail sentence increased at the Court of Appeal. Ashley Darbyshire was imprisoned for 15 years in April after admitting 19 offences, including rape, sexual activity with a child and making indecent images. One victim, referred to as V1, was abused by the 28-year-old over two years, beginning when she was just 13. During that time, Darbyshire introduced her to eight other offenders who also abused her in the Blackrod and Adlington areas of Bolton, Greater Manchester, and who were jailed alongside him at Liverpool Crown Court. The Solicitor General referred all nine sentences to the Court of Appeal, claiming they were 'unduly lenient' and should be increased. In a ruling on Wednesday, three senior judges ruled that Darbyshire's sentence should be raised to 18-and-a-half years, but dismissed the bids to increase the jail terms in the other cases. Lord Justice Edis, sitting with Mr Justice Butcher and Judge Angela Morris, said: 'Darbyshire was significantly more culpable than anyone else in this case, having committed 19 offences against five victims. 'He is a predatory sexual offender who targets child victims, albeit ones who are not under the age of 13. 'The fact that they were only just past their 13th birthday is, in his case, a highly material factor. 'The persistent and entrenched nature of his behaviour in targeting not just one 13 to 14-year-old child, but five, is also a highly material factor.' Darbyshire first contacted V1 on social media in 2016, when she was aged 13 and he was 19. He went on to abuse her until she was 15, raping her twice, and abusing four other girls aged under 16, one of whom he also raped. Sentencing him, Judge Simon Medland KC said Darbyshire had a 'crazed attitude to sex' and that he treated V1 as a 'human sexual commodity'. The judge said much of the abuse took place in a house in Blackrod, which he described as a 'lawless den of iniquity' and a 'filthy hovel'. Darbyshire also introduced V1 to the other defendants: Cory Barrett, Jack Poulson, Brandon Harwood, Richard Haslam, Elliot Turner, James Fitzgerald, Ross Corley and Daniel Bainbridge-Flatters. They were jailed for between two and 17 years for a combined 37 offences against V1, with Poulson, Harwood, Barrett and Haslam convicted of raping her. In her victim personal statement read out at sentencing, V1 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.' Barrett, 24, from Wigan, was jailed for 12 years after being convicted of five counts of rape and one of assault by penetration. Poulson, 32, from Bolton, was jailed for 17 years after being convicted of 11 offences, including two counts of rape. Harwood, 25, from Bolton, was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of rape, attempted rape and sexual activity with a child. Haslam, 36, from Bolton, was jailed for 16 years after being convicted of seven offences, including three counts of rape. Turner, 27, from Bolton, was jailed for two years after being convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child. Fitzgerald, 37, from Bolton, was jailed for five-and-a-half years after being convicted of assault by penetration. Corley, 30, from Bolton, was jailed for two years and four months after admitting two counts of sexual activity with a child. Bainbridge-Flatters, 35, from Bolton, was jailed for seven years after being convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a child, and pleading guilty to supplying cocaine and aggravated vehicle taking. Lord Justice Edis, Mr Justice Butcher and Judge Morris also dismissed bids by Poulson and Harwood to appeal against their sentences on Wednesday.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
This Morning guest lost for words as he learns life-changing value of his wrestling memorabilia live from car boot sale
A This Morning guest was left lost for words as the life-changing value of his wrestling memorabilia was revealed on the ITV show. Moneymaking expert Dan Hatfield, 41, appeared on Wednesday's episode of the programme from a car boot sale in Bolton to take a look at some pretty impressive items. Dan got chatting to Malcom, who had an expensive collection of wrestling memorabilia. Pawnbroker Dan told hosts Dermot O'Leary, 52, and Rochelle Humes, 36: 'The reason why I am dressed so ridiculously in this very hot polyester, I can't breathe... 'But we've got Malcom here, tell us about your wrestling obsession.' Malcom confessed: 'I've been collecting for a long time, it was my gran got me into it when I was younger. 'I started going into the prototype market, and then I've started to case everything to protect it. The guest confessed that he has 1000s that are part of his collection. Dan asked him: 'You don't know the value of your items?' Malcom confessed: 'I have a rough idea. But I don't look at the value, I collect it and that's the main thing.' Dan then pointed out that in his collection is a Kamala Moon figure, and there is only 24 in existence. Alongside the figure he has a letter, which Dan explained: 'This is by the vice president of the company that made these wrestling figures, this alone dear viewer is worth £25,000!' The crowd behind them, as well as Rochelle and Dermot, gasped at the huge value of the figure. He then pointed out that one of the other figures, that was made pre-production, is worth £8,000, as well as another that is worth exactly the same. Alongside the figure he has a letter, which Dan explained: 'This is by the vice president of the company that made these wrestling figures, this alone dear viewer is worth £25,000!' (pictured) Dan went to Malcom and asked: 'How much do you reckon you've got on this table?' 'I don't know, £40,000?' he replied. Dan said: 'I'm reckoning about £60,000!' The crowd went wild behind them and Rochelle gasped: 'Oh my gosh!' Dan said: It was worth me wearing this ridiculous outfit. 'I need a cold shower! I need to regain my dignity...' Rochelle asked: 'Is he going to keep them?' Malcom said: ' My kids! My four kids.' 'He's going to keep them!' Dan confirmed. It comes after This Morning fans raged 'this is just wrong!' as a dog appeared on the ITV show in a frilly dress during Tuesday's episode. Chinese Crested pooch Mia appeared on the ITV show with her owner Bev Nicholson to talk about her recent role as Astrid in Netflix hit Too Much. The 13-year-old pup walked down a red carpet dressed to the nines in a prom dress before joining Rochelle and Dermot on the sofa. Bev explained: 'Mia is a rescue dog, she had a sticky start. Ended up with me, she's been with me for quite a long time now...' This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
