PETER CARROLL'S SHOCKING CRIME IN BATLEY AND BRIDLINGTON: CHILD KIDNAPPING AND SEXUAL ASSAULT

In March 2013, a disturbing incident unfolded involving Peter Carroll, a 52-year-old man from Batley, who committed a heinous act targeting a young girl in Bridlington. The incident began when the girl, only ten years old, was on her routine trip to Tesco to purchase food for her pet rabbit. Her mother, seeking to grant her a modest degree of independence ahead of her transition to secondary school, had permitted her to go alone, unaware of the lurking danger nearby.

As the girl approached the shop, Carroll, who had been prowling the area, approached her under false pretenses. He claimed to know a member of her family, attempting to establish a false sense of familiarity and trust. Without warning, he placed his hand on her shoulder and guided her away from the public eye into a nearby thicket of bushes. It was there that he exposed himself and attempted to carry out a sexual assault on the young girl. Fortunately, her quick instincts and screams caused her to break free and run away from the attacker.

Her screams alerted her parents, who immediately contacted emergency services. Within an hour, police had identified Carroll as the suspect, aided by CCTV footage released to the Mail by the Crown Prosecution Service. The footage showed Carroll lurking in the area, clearly looking for a child to target. The terrified girl returned home in tears, shaken by the ordeal, and her parents drove with police to Hilderthorpe Road in Bridlington, where Carroll was eventually spotted on CCTV and subsequently arrested.

Her mother, who has chosen to remain anonymous for legal reasons, expressed her outrage and distress over the incident. She stated, “If I had it my way, they would lock him up and throw away the key. The fact he could be out in just over a year and a half and free to do this again is an outrage. We honestly thought he’d be given between five and ten years, and we feel really annoyed.”

Carroll’s actions and the subsequent investigation revealed a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior. The girl’s father also shared his feelings, emphasizing the impact on their daughter: “She knew we were in court and she wanted Carroll locked up as much as we did.”

In January of the same year, Carroll was found guilty by a jury at Hull Crown Court of multiple serious charges, including kidnapping, committing an offence with intent to cause a sexual act, and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to register as a sex offender and was handed a three-and-a-half-year prison term. Judge Simon Jack, presiding over the case, delivered a stern warning, stating, “When you saw this girl, you formed a plan and quickly put it into effect. You tricked her into going with you and took her to a quiet spot, where you hoped to get her to do what you wanted. It is very fortunate for both her and you that she had the presence of mind to run away. These events have had a profound effect on her, and I suspect it will last for a long time indeed. If you ever did the same thing again, you could expect to go to prison for a very long time.”

Despite the relatively short sentence, Carroll will be eligible for bail after serving only half of his term. Additionally, he has been subjected to a lifetime ban from working with children, aiming to prevent any future harm. The case has left the community in shock, highlighting the dangers that can lurk even in seemingly safe environments like a seaside town and a local supermarket. The incident underscores the importance of vigilance and the devastating impact such crimes have on victims and their families.