Newrick Grange

Newrick Grange, commonly known as Rob, has been jailed for four years following his conviction for sexually abusing a young girl in Darlington. The abuse occurred over several years while Grange lived in the area, during which he attempted to force the girl to engage in sex acts on herself. The brave victim, who was under the age of 13 at the time, secretly recorded one of the incidents on her phone, providing crucial evidence that was later used by police and the courts.

The investigation began after the girl courageously disclosed the abuse to an adult, prompting her arrest and a thorough probe by Durham Constabulary. Grange, aged 41 and residing in South Bank, Middlesbrough, was charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing or inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity. He denied all charges and stood trial at Teesside Crown Court in April 2025, where a jury found him guilty of the incitement charge but acquitted him of the sexual assault counts.

Sentencing took place on 9 June 2025, where Judge [name not specified] imposed a four-year custodial sentence on Grange. In addition to his imprisonment, he was issued a restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which bars him from any contact with children under 16. Grange was also placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely. The case was led by Detective Constable Melissa Lamb from the Darlington Safeguarding Team, who commended the victim's bravery, stating: “By standing up to her abuser and having her voice heard, she has helped to get a dangerous man off the streets and potentially protected further children from harm. Grange poses a real danger to women and young girls.”

In a poignant victim impact statement read during the proceedings, the girl expressed the profound trauma inflicted upon her: “I am a survivor. As hard as it’s been, I am proud I spoke up and told someone. The trauma inflicted on me is not just a moment in time, but a lifetime burden that will always affect me and all my relationships... My childhood has been taken away from me due to the actions of Rob. All my good memories are now shadowed with the bad.” She further resolved to use her experience to raise awareness and support others facing similar ordeals. This case, reported by Durham Constabulary on 13 June 2025, underscores the importance of reporting sexual abuse and the effectiveness of evidential recordings in securing justice.