CIRENCESTER MAN CRAIG FRANCIS SENTENCED FOR GROOMING YOUNG GIRL NEAR CIRENCESTER

In October 2017, authorities provided an update regarding the case involving Craig Francis, a resident of Cirencester, who was convicted of serious sexual offenses against a minor. The incident took place in the vicinity of Tarlton, near Cirencester, and the case drew significant attention due to the disturbing nature of the crimes committed.

Back in September 2014, Craig Francis, aged 34 and living on North Home Road in Cirencester, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after being found guilty of grooming a 14-year-old girl for sexual activity. The court heard that Francis had engaged in a series of manipulative and predatory behaviors aimed at the young girl, who was only 14 at the time of the offenses. Judge Jamie Tabor QC emphasized that Francis’s prior history of harassing his increasingly younger girlfriends marked him as a significant danger to underage girls, warranting his detention to protect potential victims.

Francis admitted to two counts of grooming the minor and one count of engaging in sexual activity with her, which occurred between November of the previous year and February of the current year. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was placed under an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, restricting his future conduct.

The prosecution, led by Mark Worsley, detailed the sequence of events that led to Francis’s arrest. The victim, who also resided in Cirencester, first encountered Francis in a local sweet shop while she was accompanied by two friends. One of her friends knew Francis personally, and it was during this initial meeting that she became attracted to his trainers and his 'bad boy' image, which she admired.

Following this encounter, the girl sought out Francis on Facebook, initiating contact and exchanging messages over the course of a month. The situation escalated after a period of no contact, until November, when Francis reached out to offer condolences after a friend of the girl committed suicide. This gesture marked the beginning of a more troubling phase of their interaction.

According to Mr. Worsley, Francis’s messages to the girl soon became inappropriate and sexually explicit. He expressed a desire for her to have his child, and their exchanges included explicit photographs and frank sexual conversations. The girl’s friends became concerned after witnessing her hugging and kissing Francis in a field, and they attempted to intervene. Subsequently, the girl met Francis in an alleyway with her friend present, during which Francis hugged her in a brief encounter lasting about ten minutes. She met him again a few days later.

Judge Tabor highlighted that what the girl was unaware of was Francis’s long history of harassing former partners, which added to the severity of his actions. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Francis had asked to use the girl’s credit card to buy trainers, promising to reimburse her later, which he did. The girl’s mother contacted Francis after her daughter confided in her, but Francis denied any wrongdoing and claimed he was in love with the girl. This denial led to his arrest.

The court was shown explicit messages from Francis, including one where he depicted himself naked with an erection. In January of that year, he sent a message stating, “Want you baby. You look really fit,” and expressed a desire to have sex with her in a car seat. His messages became increasingly lewd, detailing his sexual intentions and desires, with no regard for her age or feelings.

Following Francis’s arrest, authorities uncovered that his internet search history included terms like ‘cute teens doing various things with each other and with objects,’ indicating a disturbing pattern of interest in underage individuals.

Judge Tabor expressed disbelief that a psychologist who examined Francis concluded he did not pose an ongoing risk to girls. The judge questioned how such a conclusion could be reached, given Francis’s history and actions. He noted that Francis had consistently blamed the victim, which he found remarkable. The judge also commented on the impact on the victim, stating that although she was described as fairly resilient, she was struggling to cope with the trauma and the social repercussions among her peers.

In addressing the defense, solicitor Sabiha Pathan mentioned that since his arrest and remand to Bristol Prison, Francis had been attacked twice by other inmates, suffering a broken jaw and a stabbing wound. The judge acknowledged these injuries and expressed concern for his safety, suggesting he should be better protected.

Ms. Pathan requested that the court consider the probation service’s recommendation for a three-year community order, noting that Francis’s father was willing to accommodate him. She emphasized that Francis was aware of his issues and had multiple convictions for harassment. However, the judge ultimately decided on a custodial sentence, citing the serious and repeated nature of his offenses. The judge concluded that Francis posed a significant risk of reoffending and that his actions had caused substantial harm to the victim. He emphasized that Francis’s use of the internet to seduce the girl, despite knowing her age, demonstrated a blatant disregard for her well-being.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Tabor made it clear that this case was among the most serious of its kind he had encountered. He expressed his belief that Francis’s long history of harassment and predatory behavior warranted his detention, and he underscored the importance of protecting vulnerable minors from individuals like him.