Eight men convicted of sex offences after grooming schoolgirls in Bolton
Eight men have been convicted of sex offences after grooming underage girls.
The men, who preyed on schoolgirls aged between 13 and 15 in the Blackrod area of Bolton between 2016 and 2018, were found guilty of offences including rape and sexual assault on Tuesday following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said.
They would get to know victims at a community centre and message them on social media, initiating sexual conversations, as well as plying them with alcohol and drugs, police said.
Detective Inspector Samantha Parry said: “Thank you to all the brave young women who took the difficult step to come forward and report this abuse to the police.
“Thanks to your courage, you have helped remove a group of dangerous depraved sexual offenders from the streets of Blackrod and Bolton.
“I hope today’s verdicts bring a sense of justice for the victims-survivors and reassurance for the community.
“I’d like to take this chance to reach out to all victim-survivors of sexual abuse and let them know that we are here to listen to you when you are ready and will work at a pace that is comfortable for you.
“We take sexual offences very seriously, no matter the passage of time since it took place.”
The force said some of the offences took place at the home of Cory Barrett, 24, who was found guilty of three counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration.
Barrett, of Wigan, would invite friends to the rented property in Blackrod where they would use drugs and drink alcohol.
Jack Poulson, 31, and Daniel Flatters (pictured centre), 34, both of Bolton, stayed over at the house on a regular basis.
Poulson was convicted of two counts of rape, five counts of sexual activity with a child under 16, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of sexual communications with a child.
Flatters was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16.
Ahead of the trial, he pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and aggravated taking without consent, police said.
The group’s offending came to light when one of their victims, a 15-year-old girl, was injured in a car crash with Flatters and her friends became suspicious.
The other men convicted were James Fitzgerald (pictured right), 36, of Bolton, who was found guilty of one count of sexual assault by penetration.
Richard Haslam (pictured left) 35, of Bolton, was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of oral rape, two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16 and one count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.
Brandon Harwood, 25, of Bolton, was found guilty of one count of rape, one count of attempted oral rape and one count of sexual activity with a child under 16.
Harvie Aspden, 25, of Bolton, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16.
Elliott Turner, 36, of Bolton, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16.
The men were remanded into custody to be sentenced at a later date.
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