Brandon Jacob Harwood

Brandon Jacob Harwood, 25, from Queen Street in Bolton, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment as part of the Bolton grooming gang case at Liverpool Crown Court. Convicted of attempted rape and sexual activity with a child, Harwood was a cocaine supplier to the group that exploited vulnerable underage girls in the Blackrod area. His involvement contributed to the systematic abuse detailed in the trial of 10 defendants.

The offences involved plying victims with drugs, including cocaine supplied by Harwood, to facilitate sexual exploitation in a 'party house' on Vicarage Road West. The main victim, groomed from age 13, was subjected to repeated abuse by gang members, including non-consensual acts. Harwood's conviction stemmed from his direct participation in sexual activity with one of the underage girls, exacerbating the trauma inflicted by the group.

Prosecutor Ben Lawrence outlined how the gang, led by Ashley Darbyshire, targeted the victim after her initial vulnerability was exposed. The case surfaced following a 2018 car crash involving the complainant, leading to a Greater Manchester Police investigation. Judge Simon Medland highlighted the group's lawless environment, where drug use and sexual offending were rampant. Harwood, like others, must sign the Sex Offenders Register. The offences occurred between 2015 and 2018.