In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Philip Cunningham, then 49, of Matlock Road, Chaddesden, was sentenced to an additional two years in prison at Derby Crown Court. Cunningham pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually assaulting a girl aged under 10, following an attack that took place at the Roe Farm Community Centre in the 1990s.
The investigation established that the victim, who was under 10 at the time, was watching her brother play football when Cunningham, then in his 20s, approached her in an isolated area. He grabbed her and pinned her in a corner, carrying out a “very rough and very frightening” assault that caused the child pain and distress. Although the victim reported the incident at the time, she was not believed, forcing her to live with the trauma for 30 years.
Discovery and Impact
The victim was inspired to contact Derbyshire Police in April 2018 after reading a front-page news story about Cunningham. The article reported that he had been jailed for 13 years for a 2004 rape in Darley Park and a 2017 sexual assault on a teenager.
In a victim impact statement, the woman reported that the assault made her an “angry child” and led to a life of anxiety, depression, and realistic nightmares. She emphasised that the incident had negatively affected her relationships throughout her adult life. Recorder Jason MacAdam told Cunningham that his behaviour was “predatory” and that he had clearly “hoped to get away with it.”
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
At the time of sentencing, Cunningham was already serving a 13-year term. For his crimes in Derby, the court ordered the following:
- Custodial Sentence: An additional two years, bringing his total sentence to 15 years.
- Sex Offenders Register: Cunningham remains on the register for life.
- Judicial Remarks: The judge noted that, while the offence alone merited a six-year term, adding the full term to his current sentence would be “manifestly excessive” under sentencing guidelines.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Cunningham is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Derbyshire Police. His status as a “predatory” serial offender remains under “critical” scrutiny to ensure public safety.
As a lifetime member of the Sex Offenders Register, Cunningham must comply with strict notification requirements regarding his address and travel upon his eventual release. Derbyshire Police state that they will continue to investigate any further allegations of non-recent abuse to “wipe the slate clean.” Any breach of his registration or licence conditions will result in his immediate return to Derby Crown Court.
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