MAN JAILED FOR ABUSING NINE YEAR OLD GIRL
A man with a disturbing history of sexual misconduct has been convicted and sentenced in Dorset for heinous crimes involving a young girl.Christopher Frapple, aged 49, was found guilty of multiple serious offences related to the sexual abuse of a child, which spanned over a period of up to five years.
His actions came to light only recently, leading to a significant legal response.
Frapple was brought before Bournemouth Crown Court on February 23, where he faced charges including two counts of inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.
The court heard that the abuse was ongoing and involved manipulative tactics aimed at a vulnerable young girl, whose identity remains protected.
The abuse was not discovered until February 9, 2023, when the girl confided in her father, expressing her discomfort and revealing the disturbing details of her interactions with Frapple.
Prosecutor Ellie Fargin detailed to the court that the girl disclosed Frapple’s repeated requests for her to perform sexual acts, including asking her to kick him in the testicles and showing her his genitals.
On one particularly troubling occasion, Frapple wrapped a piece of string around his penis and instructed the girl to pull on it, further demonstrating his predatory behaviour.
The girl’s father provided a statement to the court, describing the profound impact the abuse has had on his daughter.
He explained that she now suffers from heightened stress, fear, and anxiety, and that both of them have developed a fear of darkness and places that were once considered safe.
Frapple’s criminal history is extensive, with seven previous convictions for a total of 14 offences.
Notably, in 2010, he was convicted of two incidents of indecent exposure.
During those incidents, he exposed his genitals to a woman walking her dog in public and also publicly displayed his genitals while asking a woman if they looked big.
These prior convictions underscore a pattern of inappropriate and illegal behaviour.
During mitigation, defence lawyer Nick Robinson acknowledged that Frapple had pleaded guilty to all charges, although not at the earliest opportunity.
He emphasized that probation services had identified the importance of rehabilitating Frapple to prevent further harm and to protect the public.
Despite this, the judge, Susan Evans KC, was unequivocal in her assessment of the severity of the crimes.
She stated that Frapple took the young girl to his flat with the sole intent of sexually abusing her, specifically targeting a nine-year-old child.
The judge highlighted Frapple’s clear sexual interest in children and the significant risk he continues to pose.
As a result, Frapple was sentenced to a prison term of five years and ten months.
Additionally, he was subjected to a ten-year restraining order, a 20-year sexual offences prevention order, and was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Frapple’s actions and subsequent sentencing serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance and justice in protecting vulnerable children from predatory individuals in Dorset.
