Derek Johnson, 59, admitted 16 sex offences relating to children aged between 13 and 16. A Gloucestershire man who groomed and manipulated several young teenage girls online before travelling considerable distances to sexually abuse them has been imprisoned. Derek Johnson, 59, stood before Gloucester Crown Court after confessing to 16 sex offences involving children aged between 13 and 16. The court was informed that Johnson established rules for the children, punishing them if they failed to meet his demands. He also filmed himself sexually abusing the children and manipulated them into sending him videos of actions he had requested. During his sentencing hearing yesterday (Monday November 24), the court was told of his persistent levels of abuse, degradation, control and manipulation against the children, reports Gloucestershire Live. At a previous hearing on September 5, Johnson, of no fixed abode, admitted to 14 counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He had committed sexual offences against at least three children between 2020 and 2023, all of whom were under 16 at the time and resided in Gloucestershire, Cornwall and West Yorkshire. The court heard that a complex police investigation revealed he had also been in contact with other girls who have not yet been identified. Gloucestershire Police’s Child Exploitation Team initiated an investigation in November 2024 after a victim from Gloucestershire, then aged 17, came forward to report what Johnson had done to her. She revealed that Johnson first made contact with her on the micro-blogging site, Tumblr, when she was just 14 years old. After grooming the child and engaging in online communication for approximately a month, Johnson journeyed to Gloucestershire to meet her in person, taking her to a hotel where he committed numerous sexual offences against her. In a police interview, she detailed how Johnson attempted to intimidate her and how she would weep when he used objects to harm her during his sexual abuse. He then relocated to the county to be nearer to the girl and continued his abuse for an additional two years. Johnson, who was previously unknown to the police, was identified by Gloucestershire Police in January of this year and arrested at his Stevenage home address in February by officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary. When his Hertfordshire residence was searched by police, several electronic devices were confiscated along with items that matched descriptions provided by the child. To facilitate further investigations, Johnson was released on police bail under strict conditions, however, he violated these and subsequently failed to respond to police bail. Known to have connections to various locations around the UK, officers conducted extensive enquiries to locate him, including the publication of a wanted appeal. It was discovered that Johnson had travelled to the Republic of Ireland and on 6 May an extradition warrant was issued for him. He was apprehended in Galway by the Gardaí in the same month and appeared before the High Court, being extradited back to the UK on 3 June this year. Upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport, Johnson was arrested and charged with offences against all three children. Following a review of the devices seized from Johnson’s residence, officers from Gloucestershire Police’s Child Exploitation Team identified two additional victims outside of Gloucestershire. These victims also recounted how Johnson had initiated contact with them online when they were under 16, communicating with them for a period before meeting and sexually abusing them. One of the girls, who was 13 at the time, feared that Johnson would kill her if she refused to meet him. The court heard that he picked her up in his car, confiscated her phone, and took her to a secluded woodland area in Dartmoor where he raped her in a tent. The child attempted to sever contact with Johnson afterwards, but he threatened to reveal to her family what had transpired if she did so. Digital forensic work carried out on Johnson’s devices revealed folders titled with different female names containing videos of child sexual abuse, including 42 Category A videos of one girl, and six Category A videos of another. Officers also discovered that Johnson had recorded details of his offending in a calendar app on one of his devices. Gloucestershire Police identified a third victim in West Yorkshire, who recounted to officers how Johnson had sexually abused her at the age of 14. She was visibly distressed and trembling as she described the ordeal. Before Johnson’s sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday, statements penned by his victims, who were present in court, were read aloud. One stated: “I have struggled horrifically with my mental health since this man assaulted me, to the point I have tried to take my life multiple times as I couldn’t and still cannot live with what he did to me. “I have been diagnosed with PTSD as in every moment of my day and night I can see his face, hear his voice. I cannot look at myself in a mirror as I can see every single scar this monster gave me, physically and mentally.” Another victim expressed: “I feel hatred towards Derek now that I have had time to process everything. I look back on things and he was not nice to me at all; very angry and vindictive. “I occasionally get feelings of guilt, as though I have betrayed him but these soon pass when I realise that I was only a child and he took advantage of that. I did not deserve to go through what happened to me and was groomed into exactly what and who he wanted me to be.” Another victim shared: “I felt like I couldn’t tell anyone what was happening, as I was worried that he would kill me. Even after contact ended with him, I felt like he was there. “At the time of what happened to me I felt stuck and made to do exactly what he wanted, not what I wanted. He made me feel like everything that was happening was my fault, a feeling I still carry to this day.” The court heard that Johnson, who had no prior criminal convictions, had penned a letter to the judge. Johnson’s defence barrister stated that Johnson deeply regretted his actions, wished they hadn’t occurred, and recognised that the blame lay entirely with him. Having perused the letter, Judge Rupert Lowe commented: “I’ve read many such letters and I’m afraid to say that your letter lacks any acknowledgement of the deep humiliation and degradation which you visited upon these teenage girls, with utter indifference to their wellbeing, and concern only for yourself. “While you do express that you’re sorry for what you’ve done, and you propose to be a model citizen when released, I’m not convinced by the terms of that letter, which appear to me in places to be frankly rather glib, that you have fully appreciated the depth of the depravity of which you have fallen, and to which you have dragged these innocent victims.” Judge Lowe stated: “These are in my view the very worst examples imaginable of offences of this sort against children of that age. You were a fully mature man of advancing years who knew you were inflicting deep damage on already vulnerable girls and who you persisted in damaging again, and again, and again to satisfy your own perverted impulses.” Johnson received a 15-year prison sentence and must serve at least 10 years before he can be considered for release on licence. He was judged to pose a significant risk of serious harm to girls in the future and was given an additional extended sentence of five years to serve on licence. He was also issued an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and restraining orders against the victims. After the sentencing, Det Insp Simon Goodenough from Gloucestershire Police commented: “Johnson is a dangerous man who groomed vulnerable children online, travelled up and down the country to meet them in person, and then repeatedly sexually abused them. “Knowing his crimes had caught up with him, he then took the cowardly decision to flee the country and made every attempt to evade detection. He is now rightfully behind bars, where he belongs, to stay for a long time.” Det Sgt Bernadette Harding added: “I would like to thank the victims for supporting a prosecution and I commend them for their immense bravery and strength for speaking out. With huge thanks to them, Johnson can no longer inflict any more harm on anyone else.” She further stated: “We encourage anyone who has been sexually abused to please seek support. It is never the child’s fault if someone sexually abused them, and it is important children know this.” Robert Readfern of the Crown Prosecution Service commented: “Derek Johnson targeted children for his own sexual gratification, subjecting them to appalling abuse. “Thanks to one of his young victims coming forward to report what happened, a complex police investigation was able to identify other children he had abused. “When he knew the police were investigating him, Johnson fled the country. The Crown Prosecution Service worked closely with Gloucestershire Constabulary and the authorities in the Republic of Ireland to bring him back and ensure he faced justice. “I would like to thank the young victims and their families for their support throughout this prosecution.”.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/man-jailed-grooming-young-girls-36304144
Man jailed for grooming young girls online and before sexually abusing them
