On Monday, April 28, at Liverpool Crown Court, Ashley Darbyshire (born January 1, 1997), the Bolton Paedophile, was sentenced to 15 years in jail after being convicted of grooming, raping, and sexually assaulting teenage girls in Blackrod, Bolton, between 2016 and 2018. He will serve a decade in confinement.
Ashley Darbyshire has been permanently placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
He was the principal perpetrator among a cohort of sexual predators targeting adolescent girls in the vicinity.
On the initial day of a sentencing scheduled to extend into tomorrow (29 April), Ashley Darbyshire received his punishment alongside three other individuals.
The offences commenced in 2016 when the principal perpetrator, Ashley Darbyshire, then 19 years old, initially encountered the primary victim, a 13-year-old girl.
He proceeded to introduce her to nine of his paedophile acquaintances, who subsequently exploited her for their own purposes on multiple occasions till 2018.
The group of men was convicted of several sexual charges, totalling over 30 convictions, including rape, sexual assault, and sexual conduct with a minor under 16.
The paedophiles, aged between 17 and 29 when the offences commenced, also contacted other victims, all females under the age of 16, through private chat and social media platforms.
They became acquainted with the females from the locale where numerous local adolescents congregated and socialised near the community facility.
The men administered booze and narcotics to several of the victims. Some individuals transmitted explicit photographs of their genitalia to the girls and initiated sexual dialogues with them on messaging systems.
The group consisted of friends of a 17-year-old man, who frequented his primary residence, a rented property in Blackrod, where he resided with his father, and where the majority of the offences occurred.
He was a habitual drug user who frequently invited his friends to his residence, where they would socialise, consume drugs, and drink alcohol.
Eventually, several friends began living in the area, and over time, the property fell into disrepair. The males perforated the internal doors, shattered lightbulbs, and even urinated in the corners of some rooms
The offences eventually came to light after an incident involving one of the victims and another defendant on Sunday, 17 June 2018.
He messaged her to come over to an address in Blackrod. He was intoxicated and took some car keys belonging to his friend’s father.
The defendant, Ashley Darbyshire, left the house and sped off in the car with the 15-year-old girl travelling as a passenger. He drove around a bend, swerving to miss an oncoming vehicle, and crashed into a row of parked cars.
The impact set the airbags off and caused a cut to the girl’s eye.
On waking up the next day for school, her eye was badly swollen. She initially told her mother and teachers at school that she had fallen out of bed when they asked her what had happened.
Her friends became suspicious and told teachers of their concerns, which led to the victim confessing and other victims coming forward.
The police were notified, and an investigation was launched.
Ashley Darbyshire (01/01/1997), of Bolton, was convicted of three counts of rape, 12 counts of sexual activity with a child, three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of making indecent photographs of a child. He was sentenced to 15 years, to serve 10.
Brandon Harwood (20/09/1999), of Bolton, was convicted of one count of rape, one count of attempted oral rape and one count of sexual activity with a child under 16. He was sentenced to 10 years, to serve two-thirds. He has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.
Ross Corley (14/01/1995) was convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child and sentenced to 28 months in prison and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.
Another man convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16 was sentenced to 15 months, suspended for two years. He will do 100 hours of unpaid work and has been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ register for 10 years.
The men, many of whom showed no remorse for their actions in court, were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, 28 April 2025. The sentencing of the remaining defendants will continue into tomorrow (Tuesday, 29 April 2025).
Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Samantha Parry, from Bolton CID, said: “I am glad that this group of abhorrent individuals have been handed substantial sentences and are off the streets of Bolton and where they belong, behind bars.
“I want to thank the victim-survivors who all came forward and put their trust in us to disclose the awful things that were done to them by these predatory men while they were trying to go about their lives as normal teenage girls should be able to do.
“We could not have gotten this far without you. You are all so incredibly brave ,and I hope you know that. Although today’s result cannot take back what has happened, I hope that these sentences will bring you some comfort as you try to carry on with your lives.
“I’d also like to take this chance to reach out to all victim-survivors of sexual abuse. 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.”
If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.
Greater Manchester Police can be contacted via 101 or through the Live Chat function on the website, www.gmp.police.uk. Reports can also be made anonymously through the independent charity – Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
For more information and to find the support services available to you, please visit our support pages.
We understand how tough it can be to come forward and report domestic abuse, but we would encourage anyone who is currently suffering in silence to reach out.
To start a report, visit www.gmp.police.uk and click on the blue ‘Live Chat’ icon.
A domestic abuse survivor has encouraged other victims and survivors to report their experiences via Live Chat.
How to get help
- Saint Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Manchester, provides a comprehensive and coordinated response to men, women and children who live or have been sexually assaulted within Greater Manchester. They offer forensic medical examinations, practical and emotional support, as well as a counselling service for all ages. Services are available 24 hours a day and can be accessed by calling 0161 276 6515.
- Greater Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential information, support and counselling service run by women for women over 18 who have been raped or sexually abused at any time in their lives. Call on 0161 273 4500 or email help@manchesterrapecrisis.co.uk
- We Are Survivors Manchester – provides specialist trauma-informed support to male victims in Greater Manchester who have experienced sexual abuse, rape, or sexual exploitation. Call 0161 236 2182.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.