DAVE TSOUVALLARIS SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT IN SUTTON COLDFIELD AND IRCHESTER

In March 2021, a deeply disturbing case unfolded involving Dave Tsouvallaris, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, who committed a heinous act against a young girl at Irchester Country Park. The incident has left a lasting scar on the victim and has drawn significant attention from the legal system.

According to court proceedings held at Northampton Crown Court, Tsouvallaris, now aged 33, had previously been convicted of sex offenses and was under strict supervision. Despite this, he engaged in grooming a 12-year-old girl through social media platforms, specifically Instagram. Over a period of time, he built a deceptive relationship with her, sending messages that suggested a desire to meet in person. His manipulative tactics culminated in him traveling from his residence on Kineton Road, Sutton Coldfield, to the vicinity of Irchester, where he arranged to meet the young girl.

The court was informed that Tsouvallaris spent approximately six hours with the girl at Irchester Country Park, during which he committed sexual assault. The details of the assault were confirmed by the victim’s mother, who noticed her daughter becoming increasingly withdrawn during the summer of August 2018. Concerned about her daughter's changing behavior, she checked her phone and was horrified to discover messages from Tsouvallaris. The man had falsely claimed to be an 18-year-old named Dan, and through their exchanges, he convinced her daughter to meet him.

Prosecutor Jonathan Dunn explained that the girl had become secretive about her phone and was spending excessive time in her room. When her mother confronted her, the girl insisted that she and Dan cared about each other and that nothing inappropriate had occurred. However, during police interviews, the victim revealed that she had explicitly told Tsouvallaris she was only 12 years old when he initially contacted her on Instagram. He falsely claimed to be 18, and she eventually provided him with her phone number. This led to him traveling to the area and meeting her at Irchester Country Park, where the assault took place. The pair had even discussed plans to meet again before her mother uncovered the truth.

The victim’s mother delivered a heartfelt statement to the court, describing the profound psychological impact the incident had on her daughter. The girl herself also provided a statement, revealing the depth of her suffering. She expressed feelings of self-hatred and despair, stating, “I got to a point where I told myself I didn’t deserve to live.” She described withdrawing from her social life and feeling overwhelmed by guilt, repeatedly telling herself that the abuse was her fault.

At the time of the offenses, Tsouvallaris was 31 years old. His criminal history includes a conviction from Birmingham Crown Court in 2015, where he pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images. He was sentenced to a community penalty, placed on the sex offenders’ register, and subjected to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. Despite these measures, he continued to pose a significant risk.

In November 2019, Tsouvallaris appeared before Northampton Magistrates, initially denying two charges of sexual touching. However, he later admitted guilt before his trial commenced. The court’s sentencing judge, Judge Lucking, described the impact of his crimes as “little short of horrific” and emphasized the serious psychological harm inflicted on the young girl. She characterized Tsouvallaris’s actions as an escalation of his offending against children and deemed him a dangerous offender who posed a substantial risk of serious harm.

Consequently, Judge Lucking sentenced Tsouvallaris to an extended determinate sentence of ten years and two months. He is expected to serve six years and two months in prison, with a parole board determining his eligibility for release after serving two-thirds of his custodial period. The remaining four years will be spent on license in the community. Additionally, Tsouvallaris was ordered to remain on the sex offenders’ register for life, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to society.