KELLY TRUEMAN FROM CODNOR SENTENCED FOR PREDATORY SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN RIPLEY

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Ripley, Derbyshire, Kelly Trueman, a woman originally from Codnor, was found guilty of engaging in predatory sexual misconduct involving a young girl. The incident, which took place during the summer of the previous year, involved Trueman deceiving a 12-year-old girl by posing as a teenage boy, a ruse that she used to establish a false sense of trust and intimacy.

Trueman, who was 23 years old at the time of her conviction, had previously been convicted at an earlier trial of eight separate counts of indecent assault. The court proceedings revealed that she had adopted the persona of a 16-year-old boy named Jake, fabricating a backstory about her life to gain the confidence of her young victims. Her deception extended to convincing the girl’s parents that she was a homeless teenager, claiming her mother was deceased and that her father had abandoned her.

The court heard that the relationship between Trueman and the 12-year-old girl involved a series of inappropriate and illegal acts. Jurors were informed that the two had shared kisses regularly, and that Trueman had gone further by touching the girl’s breasts and placing her hands down the child’s trousers. These acts of abuse occurred after Trueman had persuaded the girl’s parents to allow her to stay overnight at their home, further exploiting her trust.

During the trial, the prosecution detailed a subsequent assault that took place within the girl’s family residence, where Trueman pulled down the girl’s trousers and engaged in a sexual act. The young victim, who believed she was involved in her first romantic relationship, had expressed her discomfort and repeatedly stated that she was too young for such intimate contact. Despite her protests, Trueman continued her predatory behavior.

Judge James Orrell, presiding over the case at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, described Trueman’s conduct as “predatory” and “cruel,” emphasizing the deception involved and the emotional harm inflicted on the young girl and her family. The judge remarked that the girl’s first experience of sexual activity was not with a teenage boy as she believed, but with a 22-year-old woman who had manipulated her trust.

Trueman, formerly residing on Mill Lane in Codnor, was sentenced to serve two years in prison for each of the eight counts of indecent assault, with all sentences to run concurrently. The court also granted her conditional bail pending her sentencing hearing scheduled for the following month. This case has raised serious concerns about grooming and exploitation within the community, highlighting the importance of vigilance and protective measures for vulnerable children in Derbyshire.