‘Manipulative offender’ jailed for serious sexual abuse of a child

A ‘manipulative offender’ who groomed a young girl before subjecting her to serious sexual abuse has been jailed for more than 20 years.

James Groves, 51, of Little Stoke, South Gloucestershire, was sentenced to 20 years and six months for several offences at Bristol Crown Court on Friday (18 September).

A jury found Groves, who also goes by the name of April, unanimously guilty of 19 separate non-recent offences against their victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, including nine counts of rape, and was convicted following a trial at the same court on Friday 5 June.

Groves will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for an indefinite period.

The offences were reported after Groves was arrested for inappropriate communication with a child, and the victim then went on to disclose that she had been sexually abused and raped by Groves over a number of years. Groves was further arrested for those offences while they were in custody.

A thorough investigation was then carried out, and specialist support services were put in place for the victim, with Groves then being charged on 18 October last year.

The full list of offences Groves was convicted of:

• Four counts of the rape of a child (contrary to section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003)
• Four counts of sexual assault against a child.
• Two counts of assault of a child by penetration.
• Five counts of rape (contrary to section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003)
• Two counts of assault by penetration.
• One count of the possession of indecent photographs of a child.
• Attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.
• Carrying out acts intended to pervert the course of public justice.

Groves’ victim explained the impact the offending had on her in a statement which was read in court: “I felt that because Groves groomed me, I did not realise how serious what was going on was. They built up a relationship with me, and, in my head, I did not feel like it was enough for me to contact the police.

“People have said to me that I am not the bright, bubbly girl I once was, and I am just a shell of my former self. I don’t remember chunks of my childhood because of what Groves did, and this is because of the trauma I have been through.

“I have lost my childhood because of what they did, and I will never get it back.”

DC Ben Perrett, from our Criminal Investigations Department (CID), said: “This has been an extremely distressing case involving the sustained abuse of a vulnerable young girl, who was targeted and manipulated by the offender over several years.

“Groves’ actions demonstrate a calculated pattern of grooming designed to gain trust and exert control. I would like to commend the victim for her exceptional bravery in coming forward and supporting the investigation.

“Her courage has been instrumental in securing this conviction and preventing further harm. I hope this result sends a clear message that we take offences of this nature extremely seriously. We will work tirelessly to protect vulnerable individuals and bring those responsible to justice.”