‘I worry for other young girls who may enjoy a football match. I do not want what has happened to me to happen to anybody else’
A teenage girl was left “shocked and distressed” after she was suddenly “groped” by a “vulgar” leering man during a “disgusting” sexual assault while they were at a Hull City football match. What should have been an enjoyable day of football was ruined for the 14-year-old girl by the boorish behaviour of the sex pest and she later suffered nightmares and other anxiety problems from her nasty experience, Hull Crown Court heard.
Darren Humphrey made a series of lewd comments in front of the girl and her friend before touching her in an “unwanted and sexual way”, the court was told. Humphrey, 58, of Bardshaw, off Orchard Park Road, north Hull, denied sexually assaulting the girl, but he was convicted by a jury after a four-day trial that ended on July 8.
Julia Baggs, prosecuting, said that the incident happened at a Hull City football match. The girl was there with a female friend, also aged 14, but with no adult supervision. Humphrey touched the girl in an “unwanted and sexual way”.
Judge John Thackray KC said that Humphrey used some “disgusting, vulgar language at various times” before grabbing the girl and putting his hands on her waist and hips. He squeezed the skin on her stomach.
The girl said in a statement that the whole incident left her “shocked and distressed” and, even with the time that had passed, she found herself thinking about what had happened. Immediately after the incident, she felt like her life had changed and she no longer went to Hull City matches.
Her parents were concerned for her safety and that there would be a similar incident. She now did go to matches but she still sat in a different place.
All the memories came back. A few months after the incident, she still had a lot of nightmares and she was worried that she would bump into Humphrey in the street and that the nightmare would not stop.
“I am angry that this man has impacted my life so much,” she said. “I struggled with my exams. I found it difficult to concentrate. I am struggling to comprehend what happened and wondering what could happen to other girls.
“I found myself arguing more with my parents. I felt on edge. I really feel that the past few months have been a rollercoaster. I look forward to this ordeal being over.
“I want to focus on my own future and want the court to understand how much this has impacted me. The assault was unprovoked.
“I worry for other young girls who may enjoy a football match. I do not want what has happened to me to happen to anybody else.”
Connor Stuart, mitigating, said that Humphrey had no previous convictions and there were references for him. He had until recently been in stable employment. “He is capable of leading what was an otherwise offence-free life,” said Mr Stuart. “He is a man with a strong work ethic. There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”
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Judge Thackray told Humphrey: “Your victim attended a Hull City football match with her friend but without an adult. Teenagers should be entitled – are entitled – to attend football matches without their parents, without being groped and sexually assaulted by people like you.
“Your behaviour, quite simply, was disgusting. You repeatedly used vulgar and sexualised comments in front of teenagers. If that was not bad enough, you followed your conduct by groping your victim, placing your hands into her leggings.
“It had a profound effect upon your victim. It affected her exams, it affected her enjoyment of going to football matches and it caused anxiety and upset within her family. She was vulnerable as a 14-year-old child at a football match without her parents.”
Humphrey, who had been on bail, was jailed for one year. He was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order and he must register as a sex offender for 10 years.
“I do accept that your risk can be managed in the community and that you could be rehabilitated,” said Judge Thackray. “I take into account the effect of an immediate custodial sentence. Ultimately, only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of an immediate custodial sentence.”