SHAUN DAVIES AND SHOCKING ABDUCTION AND RAPE IN GLOUCESTER AND DERBY
A 28-year-old man named Shaun Davies, who was employed by Stroud District Council, has been convicted of abducting and raping a 14-year-old girl after grooming her through online interactions on Xbox.The incident took place on July 27, 2021, and the court proceedings revealed disturbing details about the case.
Davies, residing in Greenway, Brockworth, traveled from Gloucestershire to Derby to commit these heinous acts.
Initially, Davies denied the allegations during the early stages of the trial.
However, after the victim provided her testimony on the first day, he changed his plea to guilty.
The court heard that Davies worked for Stroud District Council, although his employment was through an agency, and he had resigned from his position just last week.
The defense attorney, Jason Coulter, stated that Davies was employed by the council but clarified that he was not directly employed by the authority.
Coulter also mentioned that Davies had resigned from his job at Stroud District Council prior to sentencing.
Prosecutor Ian Fenny outlined the disturbing grooming process that began over Xbox.
As their online conversations progressed, Davies, who was 26 at the time, made inappropriate comments to the girl, knowing she was only 14.
He told her that it was about time she lost her virginity, which indicated a predatory intent.
The victim felt she was developing a closer connection with Davies and believed he wanted to be with her.
Her family, however, suspected that something was wrong but were initially unable to confirm their suspicions.
When confronted, the girl denied any inappropriate behavior.
On the day of the offense, Davies arrived at the girl’s home and falsely claimed they were going away for a while.
He took her without her parents’ permission, convincing her that they were traveling to Leeds to look at a plot of land.
During the journey, the girl’s father was attempting to contact her via messages, but Davies prevented her from replying and eventually took her phone away.
The court was told that Davies then drove to two isolated locations in Derby, where he engaged in sexual activity with the girl.
The police eventually stopped the vehicle in the Greater Manchester area after the girl’s family raised the alarm.
The girl was returned to her family, and subsequent medical examinations confirmed that Davies had raped her through internal DNA testing.
The victim, a teenage girl, provided a heartbreaking statement describing her trauma.
She said, “I shall never forget the day Davies took me.
He had his hand on my lap all the time we were traveling, and he spoke to me in a particular way.
When we had sex, I don’t know why he didn’t stop when I said no.
What he physically did to me hurt me greatly.
That was the worst thing that ever happened to me.
I was upset and angry as I hated the idea that I could have been made pregnant by Davies.
I have not felt the same ever since.
I’ve had difficulty sleeping.
I’ve tried really hard not to think about what’s happened.
I have suffered from nightmares ever since.
This whole episode has made me feel lonely and sad.” During the trial, the defense argued that Davies was initially unaware of the full gravity of the situation, stating that he was told he would lose his job if he did not attend court.
They claimed that pleading guilty was a decision made after considering the victim’s evidence.
Coulter added that Davies left school with limited qualifications and had recently resigned from his job.
He acknowledged that the pre-sentence report indicated Davies had shown little remorse but expressed that Davies wished to apologize and show remorse to the victim and her family through his legal representative.
Judge Ian Lawrie KC delivered the sentence, condemning Davies for his calculated and manipulative grooming process.
The judge emphasized that Davies exploited the girl’s youth and innocence, and expressed confusion over his motives, stating, “It’s hard to understand why you did what you did, but there can be no excuses for your actions, which were based on lust and desire.” The judge noted that Davies was reluctant to show remorse until he faced the evidence in court, at which point he pleaded guilty.
The sentence included seven and a half years in prison, with the requirement that Davies serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
Furthermore, Davies was subjected to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, required to register as a sex offender, and ordered to pay a surcharge of £190.
The court’s ruling reflects the severity of the crime and the impact on the victim, highlighting the ongoing risks posed by individuals like Davies to the community in Gloucester and beyond.
