Javier Franco, then aged 52, formerly of Redbourn, Hertfordshire, was sentenced to three years and seven months’ imprisonment (43 months) at St Albans Crown Court on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, after pleading guilty to indecently assaulting a 13-year-old child.
The prosecution follows an inquiry led by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Public Protection Unit into historical offences committed more than 20 years ago.
The court heard that in 2004, Franco held the role of an army cadet leader and instructed the victim, one of his cadets, to meet him at Greenwood Park in Chiswell Green under the premise of receiving an achievement certificate.
Franco subsequently escorted the 13-year-old child to his bedsit, where he carried out the indecent assault.
The victim bravely came forward to report the historical crime to the police two years ago after unexpectedly sighting Franco in public, stating that the encounter made her feel physically sick and determined that he should face legal accountability.
Police arrested Franco on 12 June 2023, and he subsequently entered a guilty plea to:
- One count of indecent assault on a child
Detective Constable Sophie Beach commended the victim’s courage in coming forward, emphasising that no survivor should have to suffer in silence while perpetrators evade justice.
The presiding judge handed down a custodial sentence of three years and seven months’ imprisonment.
The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), an indefinite restraining order preventing any contact with the victim, and ordered Franco to sign the Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period.
Release Calculation: Under UK sentencing legislation governing sexual offences, Franco is required to serve two-thirds (28.6 months / 2 years and 4 months) of his 43-month sentence in prison custody before becoming eligible for statutory release on licence. His projected release date falls in January 2029, whereupon he will remain subject to licence conditions and statutory community supervision until the expiration of the full term in March 2030.
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