Sex predator raped girl and abused 2 others
A‘DANGEROUS sexual predator’ who twice raped a teenage girl and committed sexual offences against two others has been locked up.
Former Rossendale Valley FC footballer Joshua Stanley raped a 14-yearold girl in a ‘secluded wooded area’ before raping her for a second time at a house later the same day.
The 19-year-old, of Clegg Street, Haslingden, also had underage sex with a 14-year-old girl from Rossendale and sexually assaulted a 12-yearold girl from the Valley after they met through social media.
Preston Crown Court heard Stanley was a ‘serial risk taker’ who was ‘willing and determined to have sex with people in criminal circumstances’.
The 19-year-old boasted to the probation service that he already had ‘50 to 100 sexual partners’ by the time he was 18 and Judge Knowles QC said he ‘certainly wanted the danger of being caught’.
He was found guilty after a two-week trial of two counts of rape and three other sexual assaults against under age girls.
Judge Knowles QC said Clegg was a ‘ dangerous offender’ and gave him a 16-year extended sen- tence and made him subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and restraining order.
He was told that he must serve at least eight years at a young offenders institute before he is eligible for parole and then must serve the remainder of the sentence on extended licence.
Bury College student Stanley met up with the first victim, a 14-year-old girl from Rossendale, after they started chatting on social media.
The court heard Stanley ‘knew how old she was’ and was evidenced in messages he had sent to the victim.
Stanley, who was 17 at the time, met the victim at a house and gave her alcohol before having sex with her.
Judge Knowles QC said Stanley had ‘cultivated her’ and ‘took his opportunity when it arose’.
The court heard how, at his trial, the victim ‘expressed a determination not to let what [Stanley] you did to her affect for the rest of her life’.
The judge said: “You knew at the time that she was underage. You probably knew exactly what her age was. You most certainly didn’t care.”
Stanley met up with the second victim, a 12-yearold girl, after initial contact on social media and after meeting her at a Valley house he kissed her and sexually assaulted her.
In a victim impact statement the girl said she ‘feels her whole life has changed’ and ‘feels ashamed for what happened and guilty for telling’.
However Judge Knowles QC said: “Not one of these girls has done anything to be ashamed of. You are the one who should be ashamed. They are victims of your abuse.”
Several months later Stanley raped a 14-yearold girl in a ‘secluded wooded area’ after meeting her in Great Harwood.
He later raped her for a second time.