COLSTERDALE HANDLEY SENT TO PRISON FOR GROOMING TEEN GIRLS IN ALLASTON AND ALLENTON

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Allenton and Alvaston, Colsterdale Handley, aged 31, has been sentenced to serve four and a half years in prison for his disturbing actions involving two underage girls. The court heard how Handley, who at the time of sentencing was residing in Alvaston, engaged in a calculated campaign of grooming and sexual exploitation that spanned several years.

Back in November 2011, Handley’s sinister activities came to light when he was found to have targeted two teenage girls, aged 13 and 14, in separate incidents. The predator initially established contact with the girls through seemingly innocent text messages, which he gradually escalated into more explicit and sexualized communications. These messages, described by the court as “disgusting” and “very graphic,” marked the beginning of a pattern of manipulative behavior aimed at gaining their trust.

Handley, who was then living on Amber Street in Allenton, asked the first girl to send him indecent images of herself. As their communication progressed, he arranged to meet her in person, initiating what the court described as “some form of relationship.” Despite never physically assaulting her, his actions were deemed highly predatory. The girl’s mother discovered the messages and promptly contacted the police, leading to Handley's first arrest in 2009. After being bailed, Handley resumed contact with the second girl, who was 14 at the time, and continued his grooming activities.

His second arrest occurred earlier this year when someone became aware of his ongoing relationship with the second girl and reported it to law enforcement authorities. During the trial, the court was shown evidence of Handley's disturbing conduct, including a video he sent to the second girl and the fact that he managed to get her into his bedroom, which was described as a carefully orchestrated encounter. The court also heard that Handley had engaged in sexual activity with the second girl and incited her to participate in sexual acts.

Judge John Gosling, presiding over the case at Derby Crown Court, expressed grave concern over Handley's actions. He stated, “Your case is very, very worrying. The text messages were disgusting and very graphic. Your behaviour has all the hallmarks of careful, predatory grooming.” The judge emphasized that although Handley did not physically assault the first girl, his relentless pursuit of the second girl demonstrated a clear pattern of manipulative and predatory conduct. He further remarked, “You flattered her when you got what you wanted and sulked when you didn’t.”

In mitigation, defense lawyer Clive Stockwell acknowledged that Handley understood the gravity of his wrongdoing. He explained that Handley's life had been marked by personal tragedies, including the death of his father in 2005 and a subsequent separation from the mother of his children in 2008. Despite these hardships, the court noted that Handley had a previous record of good character but was nonetheless sentenced to a significant prison term. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and is subject to a sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16 once released. Additionally, he is banned from working with children, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the need for ongoing supervision and protection of potential victims.