‘Egotistical’ teenager locked up for raping girl
AN ‘immature and egotistical’ teenager who raped a girl and sexually assaulted another has been locked up.
Ellis Critchley, 18, set upon the two girls when he was just 15. They were both under 16.
One girl invited Critchley to her house in the early hours – without her mum’s knowledge – after he told her he was ‘feeling down.’
They played video games, before he forced himself on her, pinned her down and raped her.
His other victim had been out with Critchley, from Bolton, socially. After ‘flirting’ with her throughout the evening, he ‘took his advances further’ by touching her inappropriately, putting his hand down her jeans and kissing her – despite her telling him not to.
On another occasion, he slapped her backside so hard it made her cry.
Critchley pleaded guilty – on the day of a scheduled trial – to four counts of sexual assault and one count of rape.
He also admitted burglary in relation to another offence and was locked up for 48 months.
Prosecuting, Rachel Faux told Manchester Crown Court that Critchley raped a girl in her bedroom.
He got on top of her and held her down, despite her repeated attempts to get up.
Critchley sexually assaulted a girl at a park, touching her bottom and breasts over her clothing. “He then attempted to undo her jeans and she told him ‘no,’” Ms Faux said. “The defendant then grabbed her by the back of the neck and bent her over the railings. She insisted he get off her, but he held her in a bent down position and pretended to perform sexual acts upon her.”
He put his hand down her jeans, before telling her: “You’re not leaving until you kiss me.”
Both victims were in court and read emotional statements.
The victim of the sexual assault said: “For a long period of time, I felt confused and terrified to speak out.
“It’s had a big impact on my life, I still struggle with my confidence and I have difficulty trusting people. I feel like I’ll never be good enough.”
The rape victim said: “I tried to be a friend to him and he took advantage.
“I can no longer be alone with boys and if a boy shows up, I feel less confident. I don’t know if I will ever get over this or if I will ever feel normal.”
Defending Critchley, Mark Shanks said: “He comes from a difficult background. From the age of seven he had been in care and was essentially brought up by the system. He got involved with the wrong sort of people which has affected his behaviour towards women and young girls. Since these offences he has matured quite significantly. He feels complete shame at what he put these girls through.”
Sentencing Critchley, Recorder Jeremy Lasker said he was described as ‘immature’ and ‘egotistical’ in a psychiatric report – and that he had ‘scant regard for issues of consent for women.’ He added: “You exhibited, at the time, the belief that young girls are only there for your own sexual enjoyment and you showed absolutely no understanding in what a proper relationship between two young people means. You didn’t seem to understand that girls are entitled to say ‘no’ to a boy, and that when a girl does say no, it actually does mean no. I have no doubt at the time you knew very well what you were doing.”
Critchley, of Frank Street, Bolton, was also made to sign the Sex Offender Register for 10 years, and made the subject of a restraining order against the two girls for 10 years.