NEIL DOHERTY AND SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENCE IN DENBIGHSHIRE
A man from Denbighshire, Neil Doherty, has been sentenced to six years in prison after attempting to engage in sexual activities with what he believed were underage girls.The case unfolded after Doherty was found to have been communicating online with undercover police officers posing as minors.
Doherty, who resides at Lothians Park in St Asaph, faced a series of serious charges related to his online conduct.
Despite denying seven separate offences, he was convicted following a trial at Caernarfon Crown Court.
The incidents in question took place over a period from January 17, 2021, to May 28, 2021.
Prosecutor Nicolas Williams outlined that Doherty had been in contact with individuals he believed to be 12 and 13-year-old girls.
These communications included arrangements to meet two of the decoys for sexual activity.
The court was informed that specific details of the offences were not disclosed during the proceedings, but the gravity of the case was clear.
It was also revealed that Doherty has a prior criminal record, including a conviction for robbery in 1985, which resulted in a five-year prison sentence.
His past convictions did not include any sexual offences until this recent case.
During the hearing, Anna Price, representing Doherty, described the case as particularly sad, emphasizing that although her client has previous convictions, none relate to sexual misconduct.
Price pointed out that the offences were attempts rather than completed acts and highlighted that Doherty was not caught en route to meet a child.
She also mentioned that her client struggles with alcohol issues and has health problems, including heart and back conditions.
Doherty lives with his 87-year-old mother and is a father and grandfather, which likely makes the proceedings difficult for his family.
The judge, Mr.
Recorder Wyn Lloyd Jones, expressed his disappointment at sentencing someone of Doherty’s age for such serious offences.
He acknowledged Doherty’s claim that he believed he was messaging an adult in a role-play scenario but stated that he was convinced the defendant committed these acts for his own sexual gratification.
The judge clarified that Doherty was communicating with police undercover officers, not real children, but warned that if real children had been involved, Doherty would have been grooming vulnerable minors.
At the time of the offences, Doherty was experiencing personal difficulties, including a breakup with his partner and heavy alcohol consumption, drinking nine to ten pints daily.
He lives with his elderly mother, which the court recognized as a challenging situation for his family.
Doherty was sentenced to six years imprisonment for two counts of attempting to incite a female under 13 to engage in penetrative sexual activity.
Additionally, he received concurrent sentences of four, nine, and four months for three counts of attempting to cause a female under 16 to engage in sexual communication.
He was also sentenced to four years for two counts of arranging to meet a child for a sexual offence, with all sentences running concurrently.
Furthermore, the court imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to restrict Doherty’s future conduct.
His mobile phone, which was used in the commission of the offences, will be confiscated and destroyed to prevent further misuse.
