NEIL SKELTON'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN GILBERDYKE AND NORTH CAVE: SEX OFFENDER'S REIGN OF TERROR

In a disturbing sequence of events that unfolded in the North Cave and Gilberdyke areas, Neil Skelton, a man with a troubling criminal history, was involved in a series of heinous acts that shocked the local community and drew widespread condemnation.

It all began in April 2018, when Skelton, then residing in Gilberdyke, engaged in a sinister online grooming operation. Using Facebook, he sent a friend request to an account he believed belonged to a 13-year-old girl named Jenna Worthington. The profile appeared authentic, with a date of birth indicating her age and references to her 13th birthday, suggesting a deliberate attempt to lure a minor.

Prosecutors detailed how Skelton, 32 at the time, initiated conversations that quickly turned sexual in nature. He discussed her school life, complimented her, and made inappropriate requests for explicit images, including pictures from behind and while she was in the bath. Skelton also sent her videos depicting kissing and sexual acts, suggesting he could perform similar acts on her. Despite her refusal to send any images, he persisted in his attempts to manipulate her.

Skelton's conversations with the fictitious girl included explicit questions about her sexual experience and whether she would slap him if he touched her. He also asked to meet in a park, instructing her not to wear underwear and expressing his eagerness to touch her inappropriately. He urged her to delete messages to conceal their exchanges. The police later revealed that Skelton's online chats had become increasingly sexualized, and he expressed remorse during police interviews, claiming he felt bad about his actions but denied any sexual intent, insisting he thought they could just be friends.

Following his arrest in Leyland, Lancashire, on May 1, 2018, Skelton was detained in a park by members of the Facebook group Catching Online Predators, who called the police and held him until authorities arrived. He was then remanded in custody and later released on bail by a judge in Preston. Returning to his then-home in Gilberdyke, Skelton's actions took a darker turn.

While walking through a park in North Cave, Skelton encountered a group of teenagers, including two young girls. Without warning, he approached them, laid down between the girls, and proceeded to sexually assault both of them. During the assault, he also attempted to kiss them, further violating their personal boundaries. One of the victims bravely warned him, saying, “If you touch me again I’ll call the police, you paedo.”

These shocking assaults occurred on the very day Skelton had been released on bail for the earlier grooming charges, highlighting a pattern of dangerous behavior. The court heard how the judge who granted him bail had no indication of his subsequent actions, and the decision was later criticized as a grave mistake.

In court, Skelton admitted to attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming and to committing two sexual assaults. Judge Mark Bury sentenced him to 30 months in prison, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. The judge stated, “It’s totally unacceptable behavior committed on two young women the very day you’d been bailed for a sexual offence by a Crown court judge.”

Furthermore, Skelton was ordered to be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years, aiming to prevent any future offenses. His current residence is on Newport Road in North Cave, where he remains under strict supervision following his conviction. The community continues to grapple with the shock of these events, underscoring the importance of vigilance and swift justice in protecting vulnerable individuals from predators like Neil Skelton.