DARREN GOODE JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES IN CARLISLE AND BARROW
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Carlisle and Barrow, Darren Malcolm Goode, aged 43, has been sentenced to a significant prison term after being found guilty of multiple serious sexual offences involving young boys.The incidents span several years and locations, highlighting a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior that authorities have worked tirelessly to address.
On November 19 of the previous year, Goode was observed following a 12-year-old boy through the bustling streets of Carlisle city centre.
The young victim was pursued for approximately 20 minutes before the offender managed to catch up with him near West Walls.
In a horrifying act, Goode clamped a hand over the boy’s mouth and sexually assaulted him in a nearby car park.
This incident was part of a series of troubling behaviors that led to his arrest and subsequent prosecution.
During the court proceedings at Carlisle Crown Court, it was revealed that Goode had pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault on a child under 13 and breaching a sexual offences prevention order.
The court heard that he had been living at a hostel on John Street in Carlisle at the time of the attack.
Judge Peter Hughes QC, who presided over the case, emphasized the seriousness of Goode’s actions, stating that he was a high-risk offender with a significant history of sexual misconduct involving minors.
The judge announced that Goode’s sentence would be custodial, with an extended period of supervision following his release.
Detective Sergeant Clare McCormick, speaking after the sentencing, expressed her satisfaction that justice had been served.
She highlighted that such cases are rare in Carlisle, and praised the swift arrest and conviction of Goode as evidence of the police’s commitment to safeguarding children in Cumbria.
She also took the opportunity to thank the young boy for his bravery in reporting the crime, encouraging other children to speak out if they feel uncomfortable or threatened.
The police continue to urge parents and guardians to remain vigilant and to contact authorities if they suspect any inappropriate behavior.
Back in February 2014, prior to the Carlisle incident, Goode was identified as a serious sexual offender in Barrow.
He had been involved in a series of disturbing encounters with young boys in public spaces, including play areas and parks.
Court records show that he had met with five children in various locations around Barrow, engaging in inappropriate conduct.
On one occasion, he was seen in Barrow park with four boys, and in another instance, on wasteland known as The Bowl, with two young boys.
The children, aged between 7 and 13, later provided police with accounts of his behavior, which included attempts at sexual grooming and physical contact over their clothing.
Despite police warnings and previous convictions, Goode continued to associate with children.
His history includes a conviction for indecent assault on a 10-year-old boy in 1996, and breaches of a sexual offences prevention order.
He also had a prior conviction for actual bodily harm related to an assault on a young boy in 1989.
His persistent pattern of offending was detailed during the court hearings, which also revealed that he had moved from Merseyside to Barrow in 2007, where he maintained a close relationship with his mother and cared for a dog.
Prosecutor Nicola Daley described how police had observed Goode in the company of children, often near play areas, and how he had used his dog as a means to attract children’s attention.
Children interviewed by police recounted that he would often play games with them, such as chasing, and would sometimes physically touch them over their clothing in a manner deemed sexually motivated.
The court was told that the assaults were relatively low-grade but nonetheless serious, involving light spanking and inappropriate contact.
Defense attorney Miss Jacinta Stringer argued that the offenses were minor and that Goode’s difficulties in forming relationships with adults, stemming from a traumatic childhood, contributed to his behavior.
She emphasized that no psychological harm had been reported by the children involved and that the incidents were unsophisticated in nature.
Judge Norman Wright, delivering the sentence, acknowledged the light nature of the physical contact but reaffirmed that the acts were sexually motivated.
He ordered that Goode be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, banned from working with children, and issued a sexual offences prevention order.
This order prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with any child under 16, from allowing children into his residence unless supervised, and from living in the same household as minors unless approved.
Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Geoff Huddleston praised the court’s decision, stating that the community is safer with a dangerous offender removed from the streets.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to protect vulnerable children from predatory individuals like Darren Goode, whose actions have caused significant concern in both Carlisle and Barrow communities.
