RICHARD BARDEN COATBRIDGE PAEDOPHILE SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT IN 2011

In October 2018, Richard Barden, a resident of Kirkwood in Coatbridge, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl and was subsequently sentenced to a total of three years and three months in prison. Throughout the court proceedings, Barden displayed a disturbing lack of remorse, laughing and joking as the case was presented against him. The court was informed that the offences occurred in 2011, when the young girl was just four years old.

Following his conviction, Barden was ordered to register as a sexual offender for life, a measure designed to monitor and restrict his activities post-release. The case drew significant public and media attention, especially from the victim’s mother, who expressed her profound anguish and anger over the crime and its aftermath.

The mother of the young victim described Barden as a “vile creature” who had “destroyed my child.” She recounted that Barden, now 31 years old, had committed the assault at a property in Coatbridge, placing his hand in the girl’s lower clothing before carrying out the heinous act. The young girl, traumatized by the experience, was compelled to give evidence at Barden’s trial, despite his persistent protests of innocence. It was a long and painful process, with the crime having taken place seven years prior to the trial.

The mother voiced her frustration and heartbreak over the relatively short sentence Barden was to serve, expressing her disbelief that he could be released in just 18 months. She stated, “I don’t think there are any words that I can use to describe how I really feel about that man. Calling him a vile creature is probably the best way I can put it. Personally, I think his sentence should have been longer for what he’s put my child through. Knowing he can be out in under 18 months is a slap in the face to our family because this has destroyed me as a mum and has destroyed my child too.”

She further detailed the ongoing impact on her daughter, revealing that the young girl now suffers from severe anxiety and trust issues, especially towards men. She explained that her daughter has required counselling and is so fearful that she FaceTimes her mother when walking to school. The trauma has affected her education and overall wellbeing, and she has had to endure multiple interviews with authorities over the past two years. The mother also recounted a distressing incident in February, when Barden approached her and her daughter in the court foyer after being bailed. He reportedly shouted at her daughter, saying, “I’m winning this battle,” which terrified the young girl, who is only 11 years old.

During the trial, Barden’s demeanor was described as callous, as he laughed during evidence and appeared to treat the proceedings as a joke. The mother expressed her relief that the jury found him guilty but voiced her horror at the possibility of his early release. In addition to the initial sentence, Barden received an extra three months in prison in October 2018 for a separate incident on October 3 of the previous year. He was caught with a “hatchet-type multi-tool” on a footpath near the Coatbridge police station, where he also issued violent threats intended to instill fear in others. Barden pleaded guilty to both charges, receiving four months for the weapon possession and three months for the threats, to be served concurrently, with credit for time already served. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities.