In 2013, the Offender Database recorded that Paul Fenner, then 26, of Hope Street, Astley, Wigan, was jailed for eight years for the rape of a 13-year-old girl. On Friday, 9 August 2013, the defendant appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing. The court reported that Fenner attacked the girl at approximately 08:00 BST on 18 June as she was walking to meet friends before school.
The investigation established that the victim was approached in Wigan and dragged to nearby wasteland where the rape occurred. Greater Manchester Police reported that the young girl suffered a horrific attack and genuinely feared for her life during the “traumatic ordeal.” The prosecution reported that Fenner admitted to the attack, which took place in the Wigan area of Greater Manchester.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Fenner’s actions were predatory and caused immense psychological trauma to a child simply going about her morning routine. Liverpool Crown Court heard how the victim showed “tremendous courage” in coming forward to the police. The prosecution reported that the forensic evidence and the defendant’s own admission were central to the swift resolution of the case in Wigan, Greater Manchester.
Elizabeth Reed of the Crown Prosecution Service noted that the victim was subjected to a terrifying ordeal while on her way to school. For his actions in Wigan, Greater Manchester, Fenner was sentenced to eight years in prison. The judge noted that the custodial term was necessary to punish the defendant for the “horrific” nature of the assault and to protect other children in the community.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Paul Fenner was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Eight years in prison (August 2013).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated for life.
- Barred List: Banned from working with children and vulnerable people for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court following a guilty plea.
- Origin: Hope Street, Astley, Wigan, Greater Manchester.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Fenner is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Greater Manchester Police and the prison estate. Due to the predatory nature of the attack on a 13-year-old in Wigan, Greater Manchester, his management is subject to high-level oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Fenner must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity and residence for the remainder of his life. Authorities state that his history of dragging a child to wasteland for sexual violence necessitates permanent and stringent monitoring of his conduct upon release. Any further sexual misconduct or breach of his life-long notification requirements in Wigan, Astley, or elsewhere will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system for a significantly lengthier term of incarceration.
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