LUTON MAN ALISTAIR SPAGNOLETTI INVOLVED IN HORRIFIC CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CASE IN HERTFORDSHIRE AND LONDON

In a disturbing case that has shocked the Hertfordshire community, three men have been sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison for their roles in the sexual exploitation of a 17-year-old girl. The offenders, identified as Alistair Spagnoletti, Curtis Walker, and Callum Ward, were apprehended following a police raid in Rickmansworth in November 2014, which uncovered a missing girl in a highly vulnerable state.

Officers described the scene as one of the most severe instances of child exploitation they had encountered. The house was found to be littered with sexual paraphernalia, including used condoms, highlighting the depravity of the situation. The investigation revealed that the men had been subjecting the young victim to significant sexual exploitation across various locations in Hertfordshire and London, with evidence indicating a pattern of grooming and manipulation.

During the court proceedings at Harrow Crown Court, it was disclosed that the exploitation was not confined to a single incident but spanned a period during which the victim was coerced into engaging in sexual activities with multiple men, with the offenders taking financial gain from her suffering. The case was further complicated when, in March 2016, while on bail related to this case, Spagnoletti was stopped in Watford in a vehicle with a 15-year-old girl. He was issued a child abduction warning notice, which explicitly stated that any further contact with the girl could lead to his arrest for child abduction.

Subsequently, on two separate occasions, the girl was seen leaving Spagnoletti’s residence, leading to his arrest on charges of child abduction. The court heard that Spagnoletti, aged 21 and residing on Williton Road in Luton, was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for controlling the sexual exploitation of the first victim and abducting the second girl.

Curtis Walker, aged 23 from Lord Street in Watford, received a sentence of four and a half years for controlling the sexual exploitation of the initial victim. Callum Ward, aged 19 and from The Thrums in Watford, was sentenced to two years for his involvement in controlling the same victim’s exploitation.

Detective Sergeant Iain MacPherson, leading the HALO unit, emphasized the gravity of the case, describing it as one of the most damaging child sexual exploitation cases encountered in Hertfordshire. He explained that the offenders had groomed the 17-year-old girl into engaging in sex with multiple men for financial gain, falsely believing they were caring for her through providing food, drink, and drugs. The victim was manipulated into trusting her abusers, which made her feel powerless to seek help or support police intervention.

Sergeant MacPherson highlighted the profound impact on the victim, stating that she may never fully recover from the trauma inflicted upon her. He also pointed out that Spagnoletti’s arrest and subsequent charges of abduction prevented further potential exploitation. The officer reaffirmed the police’s commitment to protecting young people and bringing offenders to justice, emphasizing that prosecution does not require a formal complaint from the victim. He concluded by warning that such offenders pose ongoing risks to other children and that the Hertfordshire police will continue to pursue justice relentlessly for victims of child sexual exploitation.