A man who used his work as a DJ to groom and sexually abuse children has been jailed.
Darren Gibson took advantage of his position to rape and indecently assault his young victims in Leeds between 2002 and 2008.
Two of his victims were in their early teens when he raped them in 2004. Both had attended separate discos at venues in the city.
Gibson exchanged numbers with one of the girls and arranged for her to go to his house the next day.
She and a friend went to the house where Gibson, assisted by his adopted sister Rebecca Kirton, plied them with drink.
The victim’s friend was ill and was put to bed by Kirton, who was also in a relationship with Gibson. Gibson then went on to rape and sexually assault the victim.
The second victim went up to Gibson to request a song while he was working as a DJ. As she was leaving the stage he sexually assaulted her. The victim ran home immediately and reported the incident to police.
The third victim was groomed over a longer period of time, from her pre-teens to her mid-teens. During this time she was raped and sexually assaulted with Kirton joining in with some of the sexual activity.
Gibson was found guilty of 19 offences after a trial in September. This included six counts of indecent assault, five counts of rape, five of assault by penetration, two of causing or inciting a child into sexual activity and one of sexual assault.
Appearing before Leeds Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (18/10), Gibson, aged 54, of Holdforth Close, Leeds, was sentenced to 24 years.
Kirton, aged 39, of Holdforth Close, Leeds, was found guilty at trial of two counts of assault by penetration, one of rape and one of causing or inciting a child into sexual activity. She was sentenced to 12 years.
Both were ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and issued with lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Orders.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Stephen King, of West Yorkshire Police’s Major Investigation Review Team said:
“Firstly, I would like to thank the victims in this case for their courage and bravery in coming forward. They have had to wait a long time to see justice finally being done and I hope today’s outcome will bring some comfort to them.
“I’m pleased that in handing down these sentences, the court has recognised the gravity of Gibson and Kirton’s offending. They are calculated sexual predators who carried out serious harm to young girls over a significant period of time.
“West Yorkshire Police has experience in investigating recent and non-recent sexual offences, we have dedicated teams across the Force who are committed to investigating these offences and I would urge anyone who has been a victim of this kind of offending to come forward and report it to us.”
“You will be believed, you will be safeguarded and it will be investigated.”
Historic Sexual Abuse
If you’ve experienced historical sexual abuse, AbuseClaims.co.uk can assist you in claiming compensation for the physical and emotional pain you’ve endured.
Whether the abuse was by someone you know or within an organisation like a school, sports team or religious setting, our team of specialised legal experts will be able to help you seek the justice you deserve.
What is Historic Abuse?
Historical abuse refers to instances where an adult experienced sexual abuse as a child or young person under the age of 18. This can involve a single incident or multiple occurrences of abuse, carried out by a stranger, a relative, or someone familiar.
Sexual or physical abuse is considered a crime regardless of the victim’s age. According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), child sexual abuse involves coercing or encouraging a child to participate in sexual acts. It remains abuse even if the child does not initially understand that something is wrong.
At AbuseClaims.co.uk, our team of experienced legal professionals are here to help you navigate the best path for pursuing your claim. With a deep understanding of handling sensitive cases, we are dedicated to offering the support needed for a successful outcome.
We operate on a No-Win, No-Fee basis, so you won’t incur any costs unless your claim is successful. A dedicated advisor will oversee your claim from start to finish, keeping you updated regularly and ensuring that the process remains as smooth and stress-free as possible.
How to make a claim?
This area of the law is highly specialised, and it is important to have a solicitor who has experience pursuing claims for compensation for historic sexual and physical abuse and assault.
Whilst these claims are personal injury claims, there are many aspects that differ from general personal injury claims. At AbuseClaims.co.uk, our team of legal experts are trained in dealing with these types of cases and will be able to offer seasoned advice for a successful outcome.
You can contact us for a free no-obligation chat. We will advise you whether you are eligible to make a claim and the likely level of damages.
If you decide to pursue the claim, we will do all the work for you, keeping you informed at every stage.
How long will my case take to run?
Generally a civil claim for abuse or assaults can be concluded within 6-12 months. We will provide you with regular updates as your claim progresses.
Once we have been able to assess your case, we will give you an idea at the outset of the likely timescale.
It will very much depend on what evidence we need to gather, who we are bringing the claim against and also whether the claim can be settled without court proceedings.
Should I make a claim?
Before deciding whether to pursue a claim, it’s crucial to seek initial legal advice to evaluate the merits of your case. At AbuseClaims.co.uk, we offer a free assessment and are happy to discuss your situation at no cost.
If a solicitor determines that your claim has merit, it’s also important to consider the potential impact on your health. Litigation can be a stressful process that may negatively affect your well-being.
While we cannot provide medical advice, we must inform you that pursuing a claim may bring up traumatic memories of the abuse, which could impact your mental health.
Please keep in mind that the primary outcome of a successful claim is financial compensation. While you may hope for answers through litigation, most cases settle out of court, which could leave some of your questions unresolved.
Your doctors may advise that revisiting the trauma could hinder your recovery.
The decision to proceed should be made in consultation with your medical advisors and is entirely up to you.
If you choose to move forward with a claim, our team will do everything possible to support you and minimise the stress throughout the process.
Would I have to go to court?
If the case does not settle, then ultimately the matter would proceed to Court where a Judge would make a determination. Most cases, however, do settle out of Court, so although this is an unlikely eventuality, we cannot rule it out as an impossibility.
If you do have any concerns about this during the process of your claim, then we would be happy to discuss this with you and address any concerns you may have.
Why should I use abuseclaims.co.uk?
AbuseClaims.co.uk is committed to handling your abuse claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t owe us anything.
If your claim is successful, we will take a percentage of the compensation, meaning we only receive payment when we have achieved a positive outcome for you.
You will have a dedicated advisor who will manage your claim from start to finish, assisting with any questions or concerns along the way. If you prefer, we can assign a female advisor to handle your case.
Your case handler will also provide regular updates throughout the process, ensuring that your experience is as stress-free and smooth as possible.
Further reading
Sexual abuse – abuseclaims.co.uk
Civil abuse claims – Oakwood Solicitors
WHAT TO DO NEXT
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