ASHLEY VERNON FROM HEANOR SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF UNDERAGE GIRL IN DERBYSHIRE

In December 2019, Ashley Vernon, a man from Heanor, was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of serious sexual offenses involving a minor girl. The case revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior, with Vernon posing a significant threat to children and young teenagers in the Derbyshire area.

Vernon, aged 33 at the time, was identified as a dangerous sex offender who had previously been under investigation for multiple allegations of child sex crimes. His most recent conviction stemmed from an incident where he sexually assaulted a young girl while working as a pizza delivery driver. The assault took place inside his delivery van, where Vernon engaged in sexual touching and persuaded the girl to perform similar acts on him. This incident was uncovered during police investigations, which also linked him to grooming activities involving other minors.

The police and paedophile hunters had initially caught Vernon in December 2019 after he sent sexually explicit messages and photographs to what he believed were underage girls. In reality, these were decoys set up by the paedophile hunting group to catch individuals attempting to contact minors for sexual purposes. Vernon had created a false social media profile under a pseudonym and began messaging four decoys named Cherry, Holly, Ellie, and Anna, who were part of the sting operation. When confronted, Vernon drove himself to Ripley Police Station in Derbyshire, claiming he was being followed and filmed by the group. Despite his protests, officers arrested him upon arrival.

During the court proceedings at Derby Crown Court, the prosecution, led by Stuart Lody, detailed Vernon’s actions. Mr. Lody explained that Vernon had no genuine intention of meeting any minors and claimed he did not derive sexual gratification from underage girls. However, the investigation revealed that Vernon had targeted another underage girl while working as a pizza delivery driver. He sexually touched her and convinced her to do the same to him inside his van. When questioned by police, Vernon admitted to these acts, acknowledging his misconduct.

Vernon pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including engaging in sexual activity with a child, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual acts, and causing a minor to watch a sex act. His defense lawyer, Laura Pitman, highlighted that Vernon had a previous conviction for harassment unrelated to these crimes. She also emphasized that Vernon had expressed remorse for his actions and explained that he was unsure why he behaved in such a manner, suggesting that he had experienced some form of sexual trauma as a child.

Judge Shaun Smith QC sentenced Vernon to six years in prison. The judge also ordered that Vernon remain on license until 2028 and be registered as a sex offender for life. In his sentencing remarks, Judge Smith described Vernon’s behavior as grooming and emphasized the high risk he posed to post-pubescent children, particularly those aged 13 to 14. The judge made it clear that Vernon’s dangerousness was likely to persist, and his actions underscored the importance of ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the community from further harm.