DARREN REYNOLDS: CHELMSFORD AND HEYBRIDGE SEX OFFENDER STRIKES AGAIN IN ESSEX

In August 2017, Darren Reynolds, a 47-year-old man with a troubling history of sexual offences, was sentenced to prison after a disturbing incident involving a young girl in Chelmsford, Essex. The court heard that Reynolds had exposed himself to a 12-year-old girl as she was walking home from school on July 14. The victim, while on her usual route through the neighborhood, heard a whistle and turned to see Reynolds standing in a doorway with his pants down, engaging in indecent exposure. Frightened and shocked, she immediately ran home to inform her parents about the incident.

Following her account, police were contacted, and officers visited Reynolds’ residence. When they arrived, Reynolds was reluctant to answer the door but eventually did so, denying any involvement. He claimed that he was in Hylands Park at the time of the offence, attempting to dismiss the allegations. Despite his denial, Reynolds was charged and later pleaded guilty to one count of exposure at Chelmsford Magistrates Court. This marked his third conviction for such offences, with previous incidents in 2002 and 2011, where he had also been caught flashing children.

Deputy District Judge Johnson addressed Reynolds directly during sentencing, emphasizing the seriousness of his repeated offences. He stated, “You have a history of offending. Offences of this nature can have a significant impact, and indeed a lifelong impact, on those it is committed. It is not acceptable to behave in this manner. Nobody wants to see your flaccid penis in public, Mr Reynolds. You need to stop exposing yourself.”

Reynolds was sentenced to six months in prison, with three months to be served in custody and the remaining three months on licence. Additionally, he was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115. His criminal record extends back to 1988 and includes a series of disturbing offences, such as indecently assaulting a three-year-old girl in 1990, and multiple instances of exposing himself to children outside schools in 2002 and 2011. In the latter incident, Reynolds was found to have searched through toy advertisements in local newspapers to find phone numbers of children, and he even told parents that he wanted to have sex with their children.

In a separate but related case in June 2015, Reynolds, then aged 45 and residing in Heybridge, was convicted of exposing his genitals to an 11-year-old girl in Coggeshall. The girl had filmed Reynolds sitting on a bench in Grange Hill, Coggeshall, with his trousers down and his hands on his lap, after he had approached her and made inappropriate comments such as “Hello darling” and “Do you like it, darling?” The police traced Reynolds after the girl courageously recorded his car’s registration plate, which led to his identification and arrest. Reynolds initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty on June 1, 2015, to expedite sentencing.

Judge Lynch, presiding over the case at Chelmsford Crown Court, condemned Reynolds’ repeated misconduct. She highlighted his extensive criminal history, which includes a 1990 conviction for indecent assault on a young girl, and his previous offences of flashing children outside schools. The judge emphasized the impact of Reynolds’ actions on the victims, stating, “Imagine it was your children who had been frightened by a stranger who decided he was going to sit on a park bench for some sexual release? How pathetic is that? How pathetic are the consequences, to scare an 11-year-old child, and not just momentarily but thereafter.”

Reynolds’ history of offending was further detailed, including his 2011 conviction for searching through toy adverts to find children’s phone numbers and expressing a desire to have sex with them. He was sentenced to five months for indecent exposure and a two-year consecutive jail term for breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. The judge criticized the Crown Prosecution Service’s suggestion that the girl should testify in court to challenge Reynolds’ denial of speaking to her, calling it unnecessary given the evidence.

Reynolds’ criminal record is extensive, with convictions dating back over three decades. His pattern of targeting children and engaging in sexual misconduct has been a persistent concern for authorities. The court’s decision underscores the importance of protecting vulnerable children from individuals with such a dangerous history, and Reynolds now faces further imprisonment as he awaits sentencing scheduled for the week beginning June 22.