DANIEL BUCKLEY FROM MELLOR SENTENCED FOR DECADE-LONG SEX ABUSE IN DALTON

In a case that has shocked the community of Dalton, Daniel Buckley, a man from Mellor, has been sentenced for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed over a span of ten years. The crimes, which involved the exploitation of three young female victims, have painted a disturbing picture of abuse and manipulation that has left many residents appalled.

According to court reports, Buckley, aged 54 at the time of sentencing, engaged in a pattern of vile and depraved acts against three girls whose ages ranged from just six to around 13 years old when the abuse began. The offenses, which included multiple instances of sexual assault and rape, occurred between 1995 and 2005. One of the victims, a girl aged only six, was subjected to repeated violations, including rape when she was just eight years old. Another victim, initially 11, was raped when she was approximately 12 or 13, while the third girl, aged around 12 or 13, was also subjected to sexual abuse by Buckley.

It was only after Buckley set fire to his home in Dalton last year and fled to Scotland that authorities were able to apprehend him and bring his long-standing crimes to light. At the time, Buckley resided alone at Harp Inge, Dalton, where he kept dogs as his companions. His arrest and subsequent trial revealed the extent of his offending, which had remained hidden for years.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Jonathan Rose described Buckley as “vile and disturbed,” emphasizing the significant risk he posed to the public, especially to young girls. The judge stated, “You have a distorted belief that your paedophile activities were appropriate. You are the only person responsible and culpable for these offences, and you have been shown to be a liar again and again. You are a serial paedophile responsible for significant abuse of children over a period of time in a vile and depraved way.”

The judge recounted the details of Buckley's offending history, beginning in 1995 when he was 40 years old. His first known assault involved a six-year-old girl. Although he attempted to rape an eight-year-old girl later that year, he was unsuccessful at that time due to her physical resistance. However, he eventually succeeded in raping her, causing her immense suffering and tears. The court heard that Buckley took advantage of her vulnerability, subjecting her to multiple rapes between 1998 and 2005.

Further details revealed that Buckley's second victim was an 11-year-old girl when he began abusing her, raping her when she was 13. The third victim was around 12 or 13 when Buckley started his sexual assaults on her. In 2005, one of his victims reported the abuse, but insufficient evidence prevented charges from being filed at that time. It was only in 2008, when two victims—now in their late teens—came forward, that the full extent of Buckley's crimes was acknowledged. They reported rape, attempted rape, and ongoing sexual abuse inflicted by him.

Earlier this year, Buckley admitted to some lesser sexual offenses during a trial at Bradford Crown Court. However, the jury found him guilty of more serious charges, including five counts of rape and one count of attempted rape. He also pleaded guilty to arson, having set fire to his Dalton home on June 19 of the previous year, recklessly endangering lives. The court heard that Buckley's guilty pleas were not necessarily an act of remorse but possibly an attempt to divert attention from the severity of his crimes.

Judge Rose made it clear that Buckley's psychological makeup confirmed his status as a committed paedophile. He stated, “It is my view that you are a significant risk to members of the public, specifically young girls.” As a result, Buckley was sentenced to an indeterminate term for public protection, making early parole unlikely. The judge explained that a hypothetical sentence for the crimes would have been 19 years for the rape and attempted rape, plus additional years for the other sexual offenses. The arson charge would have resulted in a six-year sentence, to run concurrently.

Furthermore, Buckley was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was banned from working with children. Detective Inspector Gail Lawrie commented on the case, saying, “The abuse in this case spanned over a 10-year period, the youngest victim suffering from the age of just six-years-old. They all showed courage and determination whilst giving their evidence in court, and I hope today’s sentencing can go some way to helping them move on from the past and to start to rebuild their lives.”