DEREK COLLINS FROM DIDCOT SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON WOMAN AND SCHOOLGIRL

In a recent court ruling at Oxford Crown Court, Derek Collins, a 53-year-old man from Didcot, was sentenced to a five-year prison term after being convicted of sexually assaulting two victims. The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior that spanned several years, involving both an adult woman and a young schoolgirl.

Jurors reached their verdict after a thorough deliberation lasting over seven hours and sixteen minutes. Collins was found guilty by a majority of the jury on charges of sexual assault against the woman, whom he targeted in 2010. The court heard that Collins, who was employed as a maintenance worker at Harwell Campus, lured the woman by calling her over to a window under the pretense that there was something she needed to see. Once she approached, he proceeded to sexually assault her. The court was informed that Collins then told her she was an “easy target” and warned her to keep his offending a secret, indicating an attempt to silence her and prevent any disclosure of his actions.

The assault left the woman, who was described as having “child-like” qualities, feeling distressed and emotionally shaken. The court also heard that nearly five years after the initial attack, Collins targeted a schoolgirl. He assaulted her while she was sitting under a duvet on a sofa inside her own home. During this incident, Collins initially attempted to ‘tickle’ the young girl before ultimately assaulting her, further demonstrating his predatory behavior.

Defense lawyer Roger Carne addressed the court, emphasizing that Collins cared for his father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Despite this, the court imposed a sexual harm prevention order on Collins and mandated that he register as a sex offender. Additionally, Collins was ordered to pay a victim surcharge as part of his sentence. The judge’s decision reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the need to protect the community from further harm by this individual from Didcot.