DANIEL HUGHES FROM KIDSGROVE CAUGHT GROOMING SCHOOLGIRL WITH FAKE ID IN SHOCKING CASE

In August 2014, a disturbing case unfolded involving Daniel Hughes, a 25-year-old sex offender from Kidsgrove, who engaged in a calculated attempt to groom a young schoolgirl through social media. Hughes met the girl on Facebook, where he initially claimed to be 16 years old, despite knowing his actual age was 25. During their online interactions, Hughes produced a counterfeit birth certificate, which he presented to the girl’s mother in an effort to convince her that he was a minor. This deception was intended to allay any concerns about his age and to facilitate continued contact with the girl.

Approximately a week after their initial meeting, Hughes took the girl to his residence in Kidsgrove. Despite being aware of her true age, he proceeded with the visit, which culminated in a distressing incident. The girl was found naked in Hughes’s bed after her mother, concerned about her daughter’s whereabouts, called the police. The police investigation quickly led them to Hughes’s address on Third Avenue, Kidsgrove, where they discovered the girl in a vulnerable state.

Prosecutor Stefan Kolodynski outlined the case at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, emphasizing that Hughes’s actions demonstrated premeditation and grooming. He explained that Hughes had met the girl on Facebook in December 2012 and, when the girl’s mother expressed concerns about her daughter’s relationship with Hughes, he produced a false birth certificate claiming he was 16. This act reassured the mother, who then allowed her daughter to continue seeing Hughes.

Six days following this reassurance, Hughes took the girl to Wolverhampton before returning her home. That evening, at around 9 pm, the girl’s mother told Hughes he needed to leave. She permitted her daughter to go outside to say goodnight, but the girl did not return. Her mother, alarmed by her daughter’s disappearance, contacted the police. The subsequent investigation confirmed Hughes’s involvement, and officers found the girl in a state of undress in his bed.

Hughes pleaded guilty to charges of sexual activity with a child. During the court proceedings, defense representative Graeme Simpson acknowledged Hughes’s immaturity but highlighted that he had maintained employment at Tesco. While recognizing that the offense met the criteria for immediate custody, Simpson requested that the court consider a suspended sentence.

Judge David Fletcher sentenced Hughes to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, with conditions including supervision and participation in a 'Facing Forward' program. Additionally, Hughes was placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) for the same duration. The SOPO explicitly prohibits Hughes from contacting anyone under 16 via the internet or social media without parental consent.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Fletcher emphasized the gravity of Hughes’s actions, stating, “You pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child. The clue is in the wording, because however old or mature the child appears to be, she was and is a child. Under no circumstances can you get yourself involved in a situation like this again with someone under the age of 16 because the law says that person cannot agree to do anything of a sexual nature with you. You need to get that single, very important, feature absolutely clear in your mind.” The judge also pointed out that Hughes’s conduct involved planning and grooming, underscoring the seriousness of the offense.