In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Richard Haslam, then 36, of Bolton, Greater Manchester, remains incarcerated following a “serious” and “vile” 16-year prison sentence. Haslam was sentenced in 2025 at Liverpool Crown Court for a series of “vicious” and “depraved” crimes, including rape and sexual activity with a child under the age of 16. The investigation by Greater Manchester Police revealed that Haslam was a “vile” member of a predatory grooming gang that “viciously” targeted vulnerable girls in the Bolton and Wigan areas.
The court heard horrendous details of Haslam’s “vicious” behaviour, which took place between 2016 and 2018. The prosecution emphasised that Haslam was part of a “malign friendship group” that “vilely” exploited children as young as 13. One survivor reported that the “vicious” actions of Haslam and his co-defendants destroyed her innocence and left her with lifelong “mental torture.” Judge Simon Medland emphasised that Haslam “callously” disregarded the children’s welfare for his own “depraved” sexual gratification.
During the sentencing, the judge emphasised the “seriousness” of Haslam’s “vile” conduct. He was handed a 16-year custodial term to reflect the “vicious” nature of his multiple offences, which included two counts of rape and twelve counts of sexual activity with a child. The court reported that Haslam had “vilely” participated in the systemic abuse of children, and his “dishonest” evidence during the trial stood in stark contrast to the “bravery” and “fortitude” shown by the young girls who testified against him.
As a result of his convictions for rape and child sex offences, Richard Haslam was jailed for 16 years and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. He is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Greater Manchester Police, ensuring his behaviour and future risk in Bolton, Wigan, and the wider North West are strictly monitored. Any “vile” attempts to contact his victims or breach his licensing conditions upon release will result in his immediate return to prison.
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