DARREN DAVIDSON JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN NUNEATON AND NEW ARLEY

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Nuneaton and New Arley, Darren Davidson, a 46-year-old former Royal Air Force electrical engineer, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for the sexual abuse of a young girl during the late 1980s. The conviction follows a lengthy legal process that uncovered disturbing details about his actions and the impact they had on his victim.

Davidson, who resides on Gun Hill in New Arley near Nuneaton, faced five charges of indecent assault. He entered a plea of not guilty to these charges, but after a trial at Warwick Crown Court earlier this year, he was found guilty on all counts by a majority verdict of 11 to 1. Due to legal restrictions, the case could not be reported at the time of the trial. When the court reconvened for sentencing, the prosecution decided to offer no further evidence on additional charges, and Davidson maintained his denial of any wrongdoing.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Alan Parker addressed Davidson directly, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. He ordered Davidson to register as a sex offender for life, noting that some of the offences would now be classified as rape under current legal standards. The judge highlighted that the gravity of Davidson’s actions had not diminished with the passage of time, despite Davidson’s attempts to forget or suppress the memories.

Prosecutor Grace Hale provided a detailed account of the abuse, revealing that Davidson knew the victim’s family. She explained that in the late 1980s, when the girl was approximately seven years old, Davidson followed her into her home’s bathroom. There, he locked the door and told her, “There’s someone I want you to meet. His name’s Fred and he’s really shy.” At that moment, Davidson, who was about 18 years old, unzipped his trousers and forced the young girl to perform sexual acts.

The victim later described feeling confused and unsure about what was happening during that initial incident. However, as the abuse continued, she grew increasingly fearful of Davidson and would try to hide whenever he visited her home. When she attempted to resist his advances, he would become aggressive, grabbing her by the hair and forcing her to comply. The girl was too frightened to confide in her mother at the time, as Davidson had warned her that telling would make her mother angry.

It was only in 2013, after hearing that a relative’s husband had reported abuse he suffered as a child, that she finally confided in her mother about her own ordeal. Her family then encouraged her to come forward and report the abuse to the authorities. The case was subsequently brought to court, where Davidson denied any sexual misconduct, claiming he did not understand why the allegations were being made and insisting they were false.

During the trial’s resumed hearing, defense lawyer Nick Devine acknowledged the existence of a pre-sentence report but stated that it offered little assistance, as Davidson continued to deny the allegations. Devine also noted that since the offences, Davidson had led what he described as a “decent and productive life,” working as an RAF electrical engineer specializing in radar until 2001, and later working for BAE Systems until he was made redundant last year.

Judge Alan Parker sentenced Davidson to a total of nine years in prison, with the sentences for the three counts of indecent assault (counts three, four, and five) running consecutively for six years, and the first two charges adding an additional three years. The judge emphasized that the offences, if charged today, would be classified as rape, underscoring their seriousness. He also made it clear that the passage of time did not diminish the gravity of Davidson’s actions, which had caused lasting harm to his victim, and that justice must be served accordingly.