In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Daniel John Howarth, then 36, of Rhyl, Denbighshire, was jailed for 12 years after “vile” and “vicious” sexual assaults spanning more than two decades. Howarth appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court for sentencing after being convicted of a “horrendous” series of attacks against three young girls.
The investigation by North Wales Police revealed a “serious” and persistent pattern of predatory behaviour. Following a trial, a jury found Howarth guilty of one count of rape and four counts of sexual assault against a girl during the 1990s and 2000s. He also “dishonestly” admitted to sexually assaulting a second girl between the 2000s and 2010s, and a third girl as recently as 2018.
Significant Risk of Harm
The “serious” impact of Howarth’s crimes was detailed through Victim Personal Statements. The survivors reported being “very scared” and “terrified” that others would discover the “vile” abuse they had endured. Judge Huw Rees emphasised that Howarth’s long-term behaviour “speaks for itself” and concluded that he posed a significant risk of committing further “vicious” offences.
The judge sentenced Howarth to six years for the offences against the first victim and a further six years for the attacks on the second and third girls, ordered to be served consecutively to reflect the “horrendous” scale of his actions.
Extended Licence and Lifelong Monitoring
Due to the “serious” danger he posed to the public, Howarth was told he would only be considered for release by the Parole Board after serving at least two-thirds of his term. Upon his eventual release, he will spend an additional six years on licence to monitor his behaviour.
As a result of his convictions for child rape and sexual assault, Daniel John Howarth was made subject to a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was ordered to register as a sex offender for life. He is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by North Wales Police, ensuring his movements and activities in Rhyl and the wider Denbighshire area are strictly monitored for the rest of his life. Any breach of his SHPO will result in his immediate arrest and return to prison.
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