In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Craig Hancocks, then 34, was jailed for nine years for a series of sexual offences against two young girls. On appearing at Hull Crown Court for sentencing, the defendant, of no fixed abode, was described by the judge as a “depraved coward.” The court reported that Hancocks carried out the assaults in the Grimsby area of Lincolnshire.
The investigation established that Hancocks subjected both girls to a sustained period of abuse after deliberately grooming them. Humberside Police reported that Hancocks assaulted one victim on at least 50 different occasions in her own bedroom. The prosecution reported that a jury found him unanimously guilty on nine out of ten charges, including engaging in sexual activity with both under-age girls and committing a serious sexual assault in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the victims suffered severe psychological trauma as a result of Hancocks’ actions. Hull Crown Court heard how one victim was diagnosed with depression and required hospitalisation after attempting to take her own life. The prosecution reported that both girls suffered from long-term anxiety, sleep disturbances, and a profound inability to trust men, with one stating she still dreams about the abuse that occurred in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.
Judge Gurdial Singh praised the girls for their “immense courage” in giving evidence against their abuser. For his actions in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, Hancocks was told that he remained a significant risk of future offending due to his refusal to acknowledge his depravity. The judge noted that the nine-year custodial sentence and the imposition of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) were necessary to protect the public from a man who had no previous convictions but had committed prolific abuse.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Craig Hancocks was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Nine years in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated for life.
- SHPO: Made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Hull Crown Court following a trial conviction.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of nine counts of sexual offences against children.
- Origin: No fixed abode (offences committed in Grimsby, Lincolnshire).
Monitoring and Public Protection
Hancocks is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Humberside Police and the prison estate. Due to the predatory and prolific nature of his sexual violence in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, his management is subject to high-level oversight by the National Probation Service.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Hancocks must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity and residence for the remainder of his life. Authorities state that his history of assaulting a child over 50 times necessitates permanent and stringent monitoring of his conduct. Any further sexual misconduct or breach of his SHPO in Grimsby, Hull, 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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