DANIEL RALPH FROM WOLVERHAMPTON CAUGHT IN SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE INCIDENT NEAR LOCAL SCHOOL

A mother from Wolverhampton has spoken out about a terrifying encounter involving her 12-year-old daughter, who was targeted by a convicted paedophile while walking alone to school. The incident has left the young girl deeply traumatized and has raised serious concerns about community safety and the effectiveness of protective measures.

According to reports, the attacker, identified as Daniel Ralph, was dressed in a face covering and gloves when he ambushed the girl in an alleyway. He forcibly grabbed her and applied a chokehold, covering her mouth and neck in an attempt to silence her. Despite the frightening situation, the girl managed to defend herself by biting Ralph, which caused him to loosen his grip. This allowed her to break free and run away from her attacker, seeking safety.

Wolverhampton Crown Court revealed that Ralph was not only armed with malicious intent but also prepared for sexual assault. He was found wearing a jacket filled with unused condoms at the time of the attack, indicating premeditation and a disturbing level of planning. The girl's mother recounted how her daughter, once an outgoing child, has been left overwhelmed by the incident. She now suffers from anxiety, nightmares, and difficulty sleeping alone, often sharing a bed with her older sister for comfort.

The mother described a seemingly ordinary morning that turned into a nightmare. She explained, "It was a normal day. All her brothers and sisters take the same journey and they have never had a problem. She had gone at the usual time at 7.30am - then all of a sudden at 8.30am, it’s the police knocking on the door and telling me someone tried to grab her." The shock of the event has profoundly affected the family, especially given the mother's status as a single parent. She expressed her feelings of helplessness, stating, "There was nothing I could have done. I think the worst thing is it had nothing to do with her, he was just some horrible person."

Judge John Butterfield KC described Daniel Ralph as a dangerous individual who poses a significant risk of causing serious harm to the public. Ralph pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including assault by beating, attempting to commit a sexual offence, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. In April 2024, he was sentenced to an extended term of nine years and ten months in prison.

The court also heard that Ralph has a history of criminal behavior, with previous convictions for threatening conduct dating back to 2013. Additionally, he had sexually assaulted a child in a case that bore striking similarities to the recent attack. The victim's mother expressed frustration over what she perceives as insufficient protective measures, highlighting that Ralph resides dangerously close to a primary school in Wolverhampton. She emphasized her concern about the ongoing risks faced by women and children in the community, calling for more robust safeguards to prevent such incidents from recurring.