PHILLIP BANNISTER FROM DAREN OBSESSED WITH 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN DARWEN

In May 2022, a disturbing case emerged involving Phillip Bannister, a 65-year-old man from Darwen, who was found guilty of engaging in inappropriate and sexually motivated conduct towards a young girl aged just 13. The incident unfolded when Bannister, a local yoga instructor, lured the girl into a closed beauty parlour outside of normal business hours, raising serious concerns about his intentions and the nature of their interaction.

According to court reports, Bannister took the girl to a beauty parlour that was not open to the public at that time. Once inside, he asked her if she wanted a foot massage, which she agreed to. The massage was initially performed while she sat in a recliner massage chair. Bannister then moved on to massage her legs, both upper and lower, before asking if he could also massage her back. The girl consented and rolled onto her front for the treatment.

During the course of the massage, Bannister requested her to unclip her bra, which she did, and then asked her to turn onto her back so he could continue massaging her front. Court documents reveal that Bannister initially massaged her stomach but then moved his hands under her unclipped bra, touching her breasts. The girl later told police that this made her feel uncomfortable, and she was unsure why he had done it. Despite these inappropriate actions, there were no further incidents of physical touching, but police found images with sexual elements depicting the girl dressed in clothing deemed 'inappropriate.'

It was only after the girl confided in a friend and her family about what had transpired that authorities were alerted and the police began their investigation. The case highlighted Bannister’s disturbing obsession with the young girl, which was described by the judge as being 'in his mind, obsessive.'

During sentencing, Judge Guy Mathieson addressed Bannister directly, emphasizing that despite his lack of previous convictions and the support he might have from his community, his actions towards a vulnerable 13-year-old girl were utterly unacceptable. The judge condemned Bannister’s attempt to portray the trip to the spa as innocent, stating that it was deliberately engineered to isolate the girl so he could take advantage of her.

Judge Mathieson stated, “You are a 65-year-old man with no previous convictions — someone people are prepared to provide supportive and praiseworthy references for. It might be said that you are a pillar of your local community, but you have pleaded guilty to acting sexually towards a 13-year-old girl.” He further added, “The suggestion that the trip to the spa was innocent is wholly rejected. That trip was engineered by you to get her alone in a space where you, if you were brave enough, could take advantage of her.”

As a result of his actions, Bannister was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, he is required to complete 50 days of rehabilitation programs and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the next ten years. The judge concluded his remarks with a stern warning, saying, “There will be no second chance. Understand that and spend the rest of your days making up for what was an appalling bit of conduct. Don’t let me see you again.”