MICHAEL ILEY SHOTTON COLLIERY SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR ATTACKS ON GIRLS IN TEESSIDE

In April 2001, a disturbing case involving a convicted sex offender culminated in a significant prison sentence at Teesside Crown Court. Michael Iley, aged 43 and formerly residing on Friar Street in Shotton Colliery, was found guilty of multiple sexual offenses committed against young girls. Despite his defense team’s plea that he had been under a community rehabilitation order for the past three years, the court did not accept this argument and instead emphasized the severity of his crimes.

Judge The Honourable Mr. Justice Henriques delivered a stern verdict, stating, "I do not accept these submissions. If I were to do so, I would fail in my public duty." As a result, Iley was sentenced to eight concurrent terms of 30 months each, amounting to a total of 30 months in prison. The court also mandated that upon his release, he must register as a sex offender, a legal requirement for individuals convicted of such offenses.

It was revealed during the proceedings that Iley had previously pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency during an earlier hearing. The court detailed the nature of his offenses, which involved multiple victims, some of whom were under the age of 13 at the time of the attacks.

The first victim recounted that Iley began his assault by kissing her on the mouth before engaging in indecent behavior. She later confided to police that she had tried to block the ordeal from her mind, indicating the trauma she endured. The second victim described how Iley, during a subsequent incident, remained silent but placed his hands beneath her clothing, an act she found confusing and distressing. The third girl, assaulted around the same period, told police, "I was upset by what happened," highlighting the emotional impact of the attack.

Prosecutor Michael O’Neill pointed out that two of the victims had not yet reached their teenage years when the offenses occurred. He also noted that Iley had entered guilty pleas early in the process, likely to spare the victims from having to testify in court.

Defense lawyer Jane Waugh argued that Iley was already receiving treatment from a community psychiatric nurse and was making progress. She highlighted that Iley had a history of being sexually abused as a child by an older man, which she suggested contributed to his behavior. Waugh emphasized that her client was not a typical paedophile, asserting that he was not sexually aroused by children but was seeking affection, which she described as a craving stemming from his past trauma.

However, the judge dismissed these arguments, stating, "It has been pointed out that you could attend a sex offenders treatment programme and continue to attend sessions with the psychiatric nurse. I am not able to accept these submissions." The court made it clear that such criminal conduct required a custodial sentence primarily to serve as punishment and to protect the public from further harm. The ruling underscored the seriousness with which the court viewed Iley’s offenses and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals in the community.