PAUL FOX FROM BROUGHTON-IN-FURNESS SENTENCED IN PRESTON FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND RAPE

In a significant development in the ongoing fight against child sexual abuse, Paul Fox, a 43-year-old man from Broughton-in-Furness, has seen his prison sentence substantially increased following intervention by the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP. Fox was initially convicted in September 2020 of multiple heinous offences committed against young girls, with the crimes spanning from 2004 to 2005, when he was 27 years old. The victims, who were between 13 and 15 years old at the time, endured a series of traumatic assaults that have left lasting scars.

On September 9, 2020, Fox was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to nine years in prison, accompanied by a lifelong sexual harm prevention order. However, this sentence was later challenged under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, after the Solicitor General referred the case to the Court of Appeal. On February 25, the Court of Appeal determined that the original sentence was insufficient given the severity of Fox’s crimes and increased his imprisonment term to twelve years.

The crimes committed by Fox in the early 2000s were particularly disturbing. He targeted teenage girls by waiting outside school gates and swimming baths, following them on their paper rounds, and ultimately carrying out violent sexual assaults. Court proceedings revealed that one of his victims was forcibly tied to a tree in nearby woods and raped, while another was subjected to a sexual assault where she was crying in pain. The court heard that these young girls, aged 14 and 15 at the time, were unable to confide in anyone about their suffering, which compounded their trauma.

During the sentencing, Recorder Peter Reid QC described Fox as a “sexual predator,” emphasizing the predatory and sadistic nature of his actions. The victims, now in their 30s, provided harrowing testimonies about how Fox “enjoyed seeing them in pain,” and detailed the brutal methods he used to assault them. One victim recounted how she met Fox when he offered her a lift home from school, and within a week, he was engaging in sexual activity with her in his car, despite her clear reluctance. She also described an incident where Fox took her to his parents’ house, where he raped her, attaching clothes pegs to her, causing her pain and humiliation.

Fox’s predatory behavior did not stop there. He followed a second girl, aged 14, on her paper round, and on one occasion, sexually assaulted her in his garage before taking her inside his home, where he used candles to carry out a sadistic sexual attack. When she told him to stop, Fox dismissed her pleas as a joke. Two weeks later, he drove her to a woodland area, tied her to a tree, hit her with a car seatbelt, and raped her. The girl confided in her boyfriend two years later and sought medical help, revealing the long-term emotional damage inflicted by Fox’s assaults.

Authorities uncovered further evidence of Fox’s disturbing interests when they searched his computer, discovering search terms related to sadism and schoolgirls. Fox, who resides in Broughton Park, Broughton-in-Furness, was convicted on multiple counts, including sexual activity with a child, rape, and sexual assault. The court sentenced him to twelve years in prison, with the judge stipulating that Fox must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before being eligible for release on licence, reflecting the gravity of his crimes and the need for ongoing public protection.