JAMES DIAMOND'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN FARINGDON: RESTAURANT OWNER PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUAL ABUSE AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In October 2010, a disturbing case involving James Diamond, the owner of the Rats Castle in Faringdon, came to light, revealing a series of heinous crimes committed within the confines of his restaurant. The allegations detailed how Diamond, a man aged 63 at the time, had exploited his position of trust over a period of several months, targeting four young girls under the age of 16.

According to court reports, Diamond engaged in a pattern of predatory behavior, which included getting the victims intoxicated with alcohol before daring them to strip or perform nude acts in his restaurant. The victims, some as young as 13, were subjected to a series of humiliating and exploitative acts, which Diamond documented through an extensive collection of photographs and videos. Prosecutors revealed that he had recorded a total of 656 images, both still and video, capturing the girls in various states of undress.

During the court proceedings, it was disclosed that Diamond had also taken provocative photographs of women over the age of 18, but his primary focus appeared to be on the underage victims. He allegedly told the girls that he knew someone who could help them enter the modeling industry, using this as a pretext to justify his actions. Court documents also revealed that Diamond would dismiss any reluctance from the girls by calling them boring if they hesitated to comply with his demands. One chilling remark attributed to him was, “what goes on at the Rats Castle stays at the Rats Castle,” which underscored the secretive and manipulative nature of his misconduct.

When the criminal investigation was launched in May, police discovered CDs labeled with the names of the victims hidden in the living quarters above the restaurant. During police interviews, Diamond admitted to taking the photographs and videos but claimed he was unaware of the girls’ true ages, believing that 16 was the minimum age for such activities. Despite his claims, evidence and victim testimonies painted a starkly different picture of exploitation and abuse.

A victim impact statement from the mother of the youngest girl described the profound psychological damage inflicted by Diamond’s actions. She reported that her daughter was suffering from nightmares, was scared, and felt damaged, living in constant fear of encountering Diamond again. The mother expressed her anguish, stating, “His actions have ripped away what should be an innocent and carefree time in my daughter’s life and he’s forced her into a sordid adult world. She is a shadow of her former self.”

Defense lawyer Lucy Tapper acknowledged the gravity of the crimes, emphasizing that Diamond was not in his right mind at the time, claiming he was experiencing a minor breakdown after returning from a foreign trip. She also highlighted Diamond’s financial difficulties, noting that he was approximately £100,000 in debt and planned to relocate to Bournemouth to care for his ill surrogate father.

Diamond faced multiple charges, including four counts of taking indecent images of a child, four counts of making indecent images, possession of indecent images, and sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15. The court, presided over by Recorder Alper Riza, sentenced Diamond to one year in prison, ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years, and imposed a lifetime ban on working with children.

In his sentencing remarks, the judge condemned Diamond’s manipulative and exploitative behavior, stating, “You used alcohol in order to fool young girls. Not only that, you were both ruthless and manipulative, and you were exploitative.”

Outside the court, the father of one of the victims expressed his disapproval of the sentence, calling it “far too lenient” and emphasizing the devastating impact on his daughter. He added, “It has had a devastating effect on my daughter. Everybody trusted him and he abused that trust.”