RUGBY PLAYER TYLER DETERVILLE FROM BURNLEY ESCAPES RAPE CONVICTION IN 2017 CASE

In September 2017, a rugby player from Reedley, near Burnley, named Tyler Deterville, was involved in a high-profile legal case regarding his relationships with underage girls. Deterville, who was 19 at the time, engaged in sexual activity with two girls under the age of 16. Prosecutors stated he had wide-ranging and potentially dangerous attitudes towards women, yet he was not convicted of rape.

Deterville reportedly began a sexual relationship with a girl when she was just 14, with the relationship lasting roughly 18 months and involving approximately 100 occasions of sex. The second girl was 15 when she had sex with him at her relative’s home. Deterville, who played as a hooker for a local junior rugby team, admitted to four charges of sexual activity with a child and common assault, but his plea of consensual sex was accepted despite the law considering individuals under 16 incapable of giving informed consent.

He received an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years, despite probation officers describing him as having a "distorted and dangerous attitude towards women," and the judge acknowledging he posed "a danger to young women."

Prosecutor Miss Raquel Simpson explained: “The first victim was 14 or 15 when she first met Deterville, then 17. They started dating and had a sexual relationship. At 15, she told police she had full sexual intercourse with the defendant on around 100 occasions over 18 months. The relationship continued after his 18th birthday, although later the girl was moved into foster care and supported accommodation, and they eventually parted ways. In December 2016, Deterville was seen dragging her into her room during an argument over a bank card at her sheltered accommodation. She was reluctant to report physical injuries.

The second girl was 15 when she met Deterville, then 18, through a relative. She arranged to stay at a house where he was staying, and they began a relationship. On December 10, 2016, they had sex at the house. After she spoke to her sister and grandmother, police were contacted. She stated she was raped that day, and Deterville admitted to the sexual activity during police interviews, claiming she consented. The first girl confirmed she had sex with Deterville since she was 15, but there were two occasions after she turned 16 where she said she did not consent, though Deterville denied the rape.

Deterville was remanded in custody for six months following his arrest. He was also subjected to a restraining order preventing contact with the girls for two years, required to register as a sex offender, and ordered to follow a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years. Additionally, he was mandated to participate in a 30-day program to address his views on women. In sentencing, Judge Sara Dodd expressed concern over Deterville’s attitude and warned that unless he addressed these issues, he would remain a danger to young women, describing his behavior as selfish, arrogant, and disrespectful.