The Rochdale Paedophile, Cash McLaughlin, was incarcerated for approaching schoolgirls and making sexual comments in Blackpool in 2023. Cash McLaughlin received his sentence yesterday at Sessions House in Preston.
On Thursday, May 25th, we received a 999 call from a 15-year-old girl on her to school. The girl informed us that when traversing Daggers Hall Lane, she was accosted by Cash McLaughlin in a van, who requested her phone number and asked to borrow a lighter.
He subsequently persisted in making sexualised remarks towards the girl. She departed and promptly notified the authorities. Cash McLaughlin thereafter initiated calls to her phone after she provided him with her number due to apprehension.
Later that morning, we received a report from a school in Blackpool indicating that a 14-year-old student had been similarly approached while returning home from school, feeling unwell. The second victim observed a van trailing her on Blackpool Old Road.
Cash McLaughlin then began to shout ‘get in, get in’ at the victim. She told him no, turned around and ran back in the direction of her school. Cash McLaughlin reversed, turned the van around and turned towards her.
Thankfully neither girl was touched or physically harmed.
An investigation commenced, and Cash McLaughlin was identified as the driver of the van. He was arrested on suspicion of and later charged with two counts of attempting to take a child and causing / inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Following a trial, Cash McLaughlin, 34 of Park Way, Rochdale, was unanimously found guilty on all three counts. Yesterday (1st May) he was sentenced to 27 months in prison. He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for seven years, and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for seven years.
In a Victim Personal Statement, the first victim said: “When walking on my own, I feel a sense of fear; I feel uneasy and unsafe when I am walking alone. I am not the bubbly, happy person I was before. I don’t really go out anymore.”
A relative of the second victim said in a Victim Personal Statement: “She is scared and will not go out on her own. She gets angry but doesn’t know why. She feels like she has to put up a guard with everyone.”
DC David Fewtrell of our West Internet Child Exploitation Team, said: “Cash McLaughlin preyed on two vulnerable girls as they made their way to or from school – a journey that every child should feel safe to do.
“Cash McLaughlin followed them, made them feel uncomfortable and scared with his words. He made perverted comments towards them. I welcome the fact that he received a custodial sentence.
“I want to send a message to anyone who may have been a victim of any sexual offence today. If you have been a victim, please report it to us. We will listen, we will investigate, and we will do all we can to bring the person responsible to justice.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.