WARREN RUSSELL FROM LOUDWATER SENTENCED IN AYLESBURY FOR GROOMING AND CHILD ABDUCTION

In July 2010, Warren Russell, a resident of Loudwater, was sentenced to serve four years in prison after being found guilty of serious sexual offences involving a vulnerable 15-year-old girl. The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of grooming and child abduction, highlighting the severity of Russell's actions and the risks he posed to the community.

During the sentencing hearing at Aylesbury Crown Court, Russell displayed aggressive behavior, swearing at Judge Seddon Cripps and requiring the intervention of six security personnel to restrain him. His outburst followed the court's decision to impose a sentence that included lifetime registration on the Sex Offenders’ Register. The court had initially delayed the hearing after Russell, aged 20 at the time, caused a disturbance while being transported in a prison van, reportedly attacking security staff with a chair leg.

Prior to the sentencing, Russell had warned the judge that he would not be pleased if his sentence exceeded three years. He was in court to face charges of two counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16 and one count of child abduction. Russell had previously pleaded guilty to these charges in May, after a prior hearing in March was adjourned when he attempted to self-harm in custody.

Prosecutor Sally Hobson outlined the case, noting that during earlier court appearances, some of the sexual offences had been left on file and later dropped after Russell pleaded guilty to other charges. It was also revealed that Russell had a prior conviction for detaining a child without lawful authority, a charge related to an incident involving the same girl. The court heard that Russell and the girl had spent a night together in woodland near Amersham, raising further concerns about his conduct.

The girl’s father became alarmed after discovering sexually explicit messages from Russell on his daughter’s phone, including one message stating, “I went to prison for you.” The girl initially denied visiting Russell at his home on London Road, Loudwater, claiming she was in the village visiting friends. However, police investigation revealed that nine days later, officers raided Russell’s flat and found him in bed with the girl, who was partially clothed. Russell did not comment during the police interview but later expressed anger, indicating he knew who had “grassed him up” and that he wanted to “kill” the person responsible.

A neighbor was also questioned about the girl’s relationship with Russell. The girl admitted that Russell had asked her to lie about her age, and she told the court she was 15. A pre-sentence report described Russell as posing a “high risk” of re-offending and a “significant risk of harm to members of the public.”

Defending Russell, Helen Newnham acknowledged that he exhibited signs of a “personal disorder,” but emphasized that a comprehensive psychological assessment could not be completed until he was 25. She also highlighted his history of drug and alcohol problems, as well as his seven convictions for twelve offences, including possession of an imitation firearm with intent, possession of a bladed article, and harassment of two young girls.

Judge Cripps delivered the sentence, stating, “She is infatuated with you – in that sense, she is a willing victim of whatever you wish. I am sure you pose a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm caused by you committing further offences. These offences are aggravated by each other and by your previous convictions, particularly the one involving the same young female.”

Russell was sentenced to four concurrent years in prison for each of the three charges, marking a serious legal response to his disturbing conduct and ongoing threat to public safety.