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Danny Hailes, a 22-year-old resident of Hasland, Chesterfield, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of rape, coercive control, and multiple sexual offences against a young teenager. Following a 13-day trial held in June, a Crown Court jury returned guilty verdicts regarding offences committed against two separate victims. Sentencing concluded on 14 September, where presiding judicial authorities imposed the custodial term alongside stringent long-term monitoring orders to safeguard the public upon his eventual release.
The prosecution detailed how Hailes targeted a girl in her early teens, committing sexual activity with a child, engaging in sexual communication with a child, making threats to disclose private sexual photographs to inflict emotional distress, and stalking that generated genuine fear of violence. The illegal conduct first surfaced after vigilant staff at the teenage victim's school identified safeguarding concerns and alerted statutory authorities. Derbyshire Constabulary launched a formal investigation, leading to the defendant's initial arrest and interview.
While remaining under active police bail and investigation for those initial child offences, Hailes continued his criminal conduct against a second victim, a woman in her twenties. The victim subsequently reported to investigators that Hailes had subjected her to persistent coercive and controlling behaviour before carrying out a serious sexual assault. Officers promptly rearrested the defendant, formally charging him across both case files after Crown Prosecution Service reviews established substantial evidence. Hailes had faced further charges of rape, coercive control, and stalking concerning a third woman, but the jury acquitted him of those particular allegations during the same proceedings.
Throughout the criminal trial, Hailes maintained a complete denial of all wrongdoing, compelling both victims to recount their experiences from the witness stand. The court observed persistent non-compliance from the defendant, including his repeated refusal to surrender PIN access codes for mobile devices seized by police. The prosecuting barrister challenged this refusal directly before the jury, prompting the Crown Prosecution Service to secure a formal deprivation order to retain the confiscated hardware.
In addition to the mandatory 10-year custodial term, the court imposed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and issued lifetime restraining orders prohibiting any direct or indirect contact with the victims. Hailes has been placed indefinitely on the Sex Offenders’ Register and added to the Disclosure and Barring Service Children’s Barred List, legally precluding him from undertaking any future employment or voluntary activity involving minors.
Senior investigating officers highlighted the fortitude demonstrated by the complainants throughout the protracted legal process. Detective Constable Matt Charlesworth, who led the investigation for the first victim, commended the courage required to present testimony against an individual who had demonstrated deeply manipulative patterns of behaviour, noting that the verdict offers an important step toward long-term closure.
Detective Staff Investigator David Wright, officer in the case for the second victim, noted that while Hailes had attempted to portray himself favourably during courtroom proceedings, the evidence presented conclusively established predatory actions without any demonstration of remorse. The Crown Prosecution Service and Derbyshire Constabulary reiterated their ongoing commitment to securing justice for survivors of sexual violence through comprehensive institutional support and robust prosecution standards.
