Darren Richardson 58

Description

A man who sexually abused four children over several years in a series of non-recent sexual offences, as well as sexually assaulting a woman, has been sentenced for 11 years and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Following a two-week trial at Hull Crown Court which concluded last week (Thursday, 4 March 2026), Darren Richardson, 58-years-old of Thompson Avenue in Beverley was found guilty of 11 sexual offences including two counts of gross indecency with a boy under the age of 14, two counts of gross indecency with a boy under the age of 16, two counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14, two counts of assault on a girl under the age of 13 by touching, indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14, assaulting a boy under the age of 13 by touching, and sexual assault of a woman.

Richardson was first brought to officers’ attention in October 2020 when a man came forward to report that he had been sexually abused by Richardson during the 1990s when he was around just four-years-old. He also explained how he was coming forward now because he had seen Richardson with a young child and did not want the same to happen again.

An investigation was launched by our Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, and it was quickly established that the man making the report, along with two other men whom he knew, had also been subject to non-recent sexual abuse at the hands of Richardson over a prolonged period of time.

Following this initial report, detectives conducted numerous enquiries including speaking to witnesses, and obtaining detailed victim accounts to establish the full circumstances around the reports.

These enquiries led to a 12-year-old girl disclosing sexual abuse, and a woman disclosing a sexual assault, naming Richardson as the one responsible.

Richardson was initially arrested on suspicion of five counts of sexual assault against five people and interviewed in January 2021.

Whilst in custody and being questioned, Richardson denied all allegations put to him and refused to admit any sexual interest in children, however, due to the evidence stacked against him, he was subsequently charged with 11 sexual offences and released under investigation.

After pleading not guilty to all offences, a two-week trial was set for Monday, 23 February 2026, concluding on Thursday, 5 March 2026 at Hull Crown Court where he was remanded and sentenced on Friday, 6 March 2026.

Investigating Officer Helen Shackleton, said:

“First and foremost, I would like to commend the men and women who came forward and reported Richardson’s crimes against them when they were so young, some aged between three- and six-years-old when the abuse began.

“It is because of their courage and strength that we were able to build a significant case against Richardson, holding him accountable for his crimes years after they took place.

“Richardson is a child abuser who befriended neighbours or manipulated his adult friends under false pretences in order to gain access to their children and take advantage of them.

“He would gain the adults trust, offering to help and care for their children, and on one occasion even took one of the boys on a trip during the six-week holidays, sexually abusing him in service station toilets.

“Richardson would fake niceties, giving them money, as well as showering them with gifts including clothes, games, and phones, all in a ploy to get them on side in order to appease his own devious sexual perversions.

“He then went on to refuse to admit what he had done, forcing the men, women, and their families through a two-week trial reliving the childhood trauma they experienced all over again in a sadistic ploy to maintain an element of control over them, even years after the offences took place.

“The result we saw in court last week is testament to the bravery of those who came forward, and the dedication of detectives who stacked up the evidence against him ultimately leading him to now spend over a decade behind bars.”