PAUL CRAFT FROM GOLTHORPE SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 14-YEAR-OLD SCHOOLGIRL IN SHEFFIELD
| Red Rose Database
Goldthorpe Child Sexual Abuser
In August 2010, a disturbing case of child sexual abuse came to light involving Paul Craft, a 41-year-old man from Goldthorpe. Craft was found guilty of grooming a teenage girl and recording himself engaging in sexual acts with her at his residence in Goldthorpe, near Barnsley. The Sheffield Crown Court heard harrowing details of how Craft, known by the nickname "Scooby," befriended the girl when she was just 13 years old, gradually gaining her trust before subjecting her to abuse.
According to court reports, Craft's actions were particularly heinous because he not only engaged in sexual acts with the underage girl but also documented these acts on home video. He made several homemade movies, some of which he filmed at his home on St Mary’s Road in Goldthorpe. One of these videos notably began with a shot of a whiteboard on which he had written "A Scooby Porn Production – Do it to me Baby," indicating a premeditated intent to produce such material.
The court was told that Craft’s victim was only 14 at the time of the abuse, despite his claims to police that he believed she was 17. The prosecution revealed that Craft had been warned multiple times about her age. Her mother had discovered the relationship and warned Craft to stay away, and police had served him with two abduction notices in November 2008 and January 2009, explicitly stating the girl’s age.
When Craft was arrested in March, he admitted to police that he had been involved in a sexual relationship with the girl, claiming he thought she was older. However, investigators uncovered evidence that contradicted his account. Police seized a laptop, digital camera, and video camera from his home, which contained four homemade videos. These videos were analyzed meticulously by experts, who confirmed they were filmed on four separate occasions, all after Craft had been made aware of the girl’s true age.
Further evidence included still images of the girl in school photographs, which Craft had transferred to other devices, although he did not distribute these images online. The investigation also revealed that one of the videos contained a background music track that first aired in April 2009, providing a timeline that proved the videos were made after he had been informed of her age.
Craft’s defense argued that he had known the girl through a mutual friend and that he felt sorry for her because she had confided in him about being abused by another man. He claimed that she had told him she was 17 and that he ceased the relationship once she revealed her true age.
However, the court found the evidence compelling and convicted Craft on multiple counts. He was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child and four counts of taking indecent photographs of a child. Judge Annabel Carr QC sentenced him to five years in prison, emphasizing the severity of his actions. She described his conduct as wicked, noting that he had groomed a young girl and caused her significant long-term harm.
In her remarks, Judge Carr highlighted that Craft was fully aware of the girl’s age, having been informed by her mother and served with police notices. She stated, “You groomed this young woman who was little more than a child. You harmed her and ruined her teenage years. Your conduct was wicked. You engaged for your own gratification in sexual acts with her.”
Craft’s case underscores the importance of vigilance and the devastating impact of grooming and sexual abuse on vulnerable minors. His actions have left a lasting scar on the victim, and his sentencing serves as a stark reminder of the criminal consequences of such heinous behavior.
According to court reports, Craft's actions were particularly heinous because he not only engaged in sexual acts with the underage girl but also documented these acts on home video. He made several homemade movies, some of which he filmed at his home on St Mary’s Road in Goldthorpe. One of these videos notably began with a shot of a whiteboard on which he had written "A Scooby Porn Production – Do it to me Baby," indicating a premeditated intent to produce such material.
The court was told that Craft’s victim was only 14 at the time of the abuse, despite his claims to police that he believed she was 17. The prosecution revealed that Craft had been warned multiple times about her age. Her mother had discovered the relationship and warned Craft to stay away, and police had served him with two abduction notices in November 2008 and January 2009, explicitly stating the girl’s age.
When Craft was arrested in March, he admitted to police that he had been involved in a sexual relationship with the girl, claiming he thought she was older. However, investigators uncovered evidence that contradicted his account. Police seized a laptop, digital camera, and video camera from his home, which contained four homemade videos. These videos were analyzed meticulously by experts, who confirmed they were filmed on four separate occasions, all after Craft had been made aware of the girl’s true age.
Further evidence included still images of the girl in school photographs, which Craft had transferred to other devices, although he did not distribute these images online. The investigation also revealed that one of the videos contained a background music track that first aired in April 2009, providing a timeline that proved the videos were made after he had been informed of her age.
Craft’s defense argued that he had known the girl through a mutual friend and that he felt sorry for her because she had confided in him about being abused by another man. He claimed that she had told him she was 17 and that he ceased the relationship once she revealed her true age.
However, the court found the evidence compelling and convicted Craft on multiple counts. He was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child and four counts of taking indecent photographs of a child. Judge Annabel Carr QC sentenced him to five years in prison, emphasizing the severity of his actions. She described his conduct as wicked, noting that he had groomed a young girl and caused her significant long-term harm.
In her remarks, Judge Carr highlighted that Craft was fully aware of the girl’s age, having been informed by her mother and served with police notices. She stated, “You groomed this young woman who was little more than a child. You harmed her and ruined her teenage years. Your conduct was wicked. You engaged for your own gratification in sexual acts with her.”
Craft’s case underscores the importance of vigilance and the devastating impact of grooming and sexual abuse on vulnerable minors. His actions have left a lasting scar on the victim, and his sentencing serves as a stark reminder of the criminal consequences of such heinous behavior.