Donald Ian Campbell

Donald Ian Campbell, a 71-year-old man from Poole, Dorset, has been sentenced to six years in prison for a series of sexual offences committed against a young girl under the age of 13. The case, which came to light following a thorough investigation by Dorset Police, highlights the devastating impact of child sexual abuse and the authorities' commitment to pursuing justice for victims.

Campbell pleaded guilty on 25 June 2021 at Poole Magistrates’ Court to three counts of inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, three counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13. These admissions followed his arrest on 26 February 2021, during which he confessed in interview to inciting his victim to participate in sexual acts. The offences, which involved direct physical and verbal inducement of sexual behaviour from the child, were described in court proceedings as particularly egregious due to the vulnerability of the victim.

Sentencing occurred on 20 October 2021 at Bournemouth Crown Court, where Judge Justice X (name not specified in reports) imposed the six-year custodial term. In addition to the prison sentence, Campbell was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years, designed to restrict his future interactions and behaviours to protect the public, particularly children. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely, ensuring ongoing monitoring by authorities upon his release.

Detective Constable Ade Stocker, from Dorset Police's Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT), commended the bravery of the victim and her family in reporting the crimes. In a statement released by Dorset Police, Stocker said: “I would like to pay tribute to the victim and her family for their bravery in reporting these offences and allowing Dorset Police to carry out a thorough investigation. I am pleased that Campbell has been given a custodial sentence for the crimes he subjected his victim to. I hope that the outcome of this case demonstrates that we will extensively investigate incidents of this nature and we would encourage any other victims of sexual abuse to please report it to Dorset Police.” This case underscores the importance of reporting such incidents, as emphasised by the investigating team.

The investigation was prompted by the victim's report, leading to Campbell's swift arrest and the subsequent guilty pleas. Court documents and police reports confirm that the offences occurred prior to the arrest in early 2021, though exact dates of the incidents were not publicly detailed to protect the victim's identity. This sentencing serves as a stark reminder of the legal consequences for perpetrators of child sexual abuse in the UK.