CHARLIE O’DRISCOLL FROM EDENBRIDGE BEATEN IN PRISON AND COVERED UP DURING TRIAL AT MAIDSTONE CROWN COURT

In a disturbing case that unfolded in April 2018, Charlie O’Driscoll, a man from Edenbridge, was involved in a serious incident that drew significant attention during his court proceedings. O’Driscoll, who was on remand at HMP Elmley for charges related to rape and sexual activity with a minor, became the victim of a brutal assault while incarcerated. The attack was so severe that his barrister, Janine Brimelow, took the unusual step of applying make-up to conceal the extensive bruising and swelling on his face before he appeared in Maidstone Crown Court.

Ms. Brimelow explained to the court that she had never before resorted to such measures in her legal career. She stated, “It is the first time in rather a long career that I have done that. I applied concealer on bruising and swelling and it was very effective so the jury wouldn’t be prejudiced in any way as to how violence occurred.” She further described the injuries, noting that O’Driscoll had been stamped on his face, leaving a red mark that persisted for a week. The assault left him visibly shaken, close to tears, and deeply distressed by the experience.

O’Driscoll, a 37-year-old married father of four from the travelling community in Edenbridge, Kent, was subsequently placed on the prison’s sex offender wing following his conviction. Reports indicated that he was struggling with the circumstances of his incarceration. The court heard that he had refused to be housed in the vulnerable persons’ wing, which may have contributed to his being targeted by other inmates.

Details of his offending surfaced during the trial. It was revealed that O’Driscoll had met a teenage girl by chance in October of the previous year. After spending time with her, during which he provided alcohol and cigarettes, he attempted to secure a hotel room in Westerham, Kent. When his credit card failed to go through at the nearby Days Inn at Clacket Lane Services on the M25 in Surrey, he resorted to pulling up in a lay-by and engaging in sexual activity with the girl inside his van. The act was committed without any form of protection, and O’Driscoll later told the jury that the girl’s company “made him feel young again.”

Judge Philip Statman, presiding over the case, delivered the sentence after considering the circumstances. He emphasized that although the sexual encounter was technically consensual and there was no evidence of grooming, O’Driscoll was aware that the girl was underage. The judge stated, “You were mature, a man of the world with a family. You knew precisely what it was that you were doing. You took the chance and you had sexual intercourse with her. That breaks the law.” The court’s verdict resulted in a prison sentence of four years and nine months for O’Driscoll, highlighting the serious nature of his actions and the legal consequences he faced.