BROOKLYN RIDLER SENTENCED IN GLOUCESTER FOR KIDNAPPING AND RAPE CASE

A young man from Gloucester, identified as Brooklyn Ridler, has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of serious crimes involving a young girl from the same area. The court proceedings laid bare the disturbing details of the case, revealing that Ridler, aged 19 at the time of sentencing, admitted to committing three counts of raping a child under the age of 13, as well as one count of kidnapping the girl in July of that year.

According to reports, the sequence of events began when Ridler initiated contact with the girl through Facebook. He sent her a friend request on July 6, and within two days, they started communicating. The exchanges between them were described by the prosecutor as 'childish,' but they quickly escalated. The girl disclosed her age, stating she was 13, but Ridler revealed that he was 19 and expressed romantic feelings towards her. Despite the age difference, they made plans to meet in person.

On July 12, the pair attempted to check into the Orchard Hotel in Gloucester, but their attempt was unsuccessful, and they returned later to secure a room. During that night, they engaged in sexual activity. The girl later told her mother that she was staying elsewhere that night, concealing her whereabouts. The following morning, Ridler and the girl left the hotel and traveled to Cheltenham, then continued their journey by train to another location. Over the next two days, Ridler was involved in a drug dealing operation at a flat they visited, during which the sexual encounters continued.

Authorities identified their faces through police warnings, prompting Ridler and the girl to destroy their phones in an attempt to evade detection. It was also revealed that Ridler had a prior conviction for sexually touching a six-year-old girl when he was just 13 years old. He was arrested on July 16.

During the court hearing, the mother of the young girl expressed her profound devastation, stating that Ridler had taken her daughter's innocence and caused her ongoing anxiety and trauma. The defense argued that Ridler's troubled background and learning difficulties contributed to his actions, suggesting a lack of maturity since childhood.

Judge Cullum emphasized the gravity of the case, highlighting Ridler's grooming behavior and the planned abduction that resulted in the girl being raped three times. As a result, Ridler was sentenced to over seven and a half years in prison. Additionally, he was subjected to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which restricts him from having contact with female children under 16 unless explicitly approved by their parents, fully aware of his criminal history.