Damien Riley

Damien Riley, a former carer from Ewood, Oldham, has had his prison sentence extended following the emergence of an additional victim from his past sexual offences committed in the 1980s. Originally convicted in 2021 of 16 incidents of inappropriate sexual activity involving four young boys on an estate in Oldham, Riley was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. The offences occurred when Riley himself was a teenager, targeting children who played together on the streets during an era when such unsupervised play was common.

At the initial sentencing in 2021, Judge Angela Nield highlighted the profound impact of Riley's actions, stating: "The victims of your offending behaviour were four in number - they were children, children who all lived on the same estate in very different times to now, when it was commonplace for groups of children to play together on the street." She emphasised the betrayal of trust, noting: "When those children were believed, usually with good cause, to be safe by their parents, safety in numbers; sadly in this case that was far from the truth." The judge described how the boys were "undoubtedly damaged by that behaviour and by their premature and inappropriate exposure to sexual experiences," robbing them of innocent childhood joys.

Subsequently, another victim from the same period and area came forward, alleging that Riley, then a teenager, performed a sex act on him. This led to a further charge of indecent assault on a child. Prosecuting, Amy Weir detailed the distressing nature of the complaint. In mitigation, Michael Johnson argued that Riley was a child at the time of the offence and that the maximum sentence for such 1980s-era crimes was only 12 months' imprisonment.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Judge Nield imposed an additional consecutive sentence of 12 months, bringing Riley's total term to 11 years. Addressing Riley directly, she remarked: "In 2021 and following a trial in respect of four separate complainants who alleged similar types of behaviour, I sentenced you to 10 years imprisonment. This complainant did not come forward until much later and you chose to have a trial, which is your right. He had to give evidence about something which was very distressing to him. It was open to you to acknowledge your guilt and potentially to come clean and avoid the situation you have now found yourself in." The case underscores the long-lasting effects of historical child sexual abuse and the justice system's response when new victims emerge.