The Face of a Monster: Paedophile Jailed After Family's "Two Years of Hell"

Edwin Darby, a 67-year-old lorry driver from Northampton, has been jailed for 54 months after admitting to two counts of assault by touching on a girl under 13. His mugshot, released by West Midlands Police, can now be revealed following the sentencing at Birmingham Crown Court on May 5th.

Darby's crimes came to light after the victim's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, reported that he had "moonied" in front of her children. This led to a conversation about "private areas", during which the child made a harrowing disclosure.

"The way she said it so innocently and blasé, so matter of fact, I was like, 'no this can't be'," recalled the mother.

The mother and daughter were interviewed at the police station, and the officer was reportedly so disturbed by Darby's confessions that he had to stop the interview.

In addition to the prison sentence, Darby was handed a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register. A restraining order was also imposed, and he may be barred from working with children or vulnerable adults upon his release.

The victim's mother is concerned that Darby could re-offend despite the sentence, as he "doesn't have a neon sign on him." She wants everyone to know his name and face in the hope that he's never able to hurt anyone else.

"This person's a monster. I don't want him to be able to hurt anyone else, ever," she said. "He could carry on and live his life and nobody would be any wiser. He could put himself in situations and befriend people and they will be in danger again."

The mother hopes that by telling her story, other victims of sexual abuse will feel more comfortable coming forward to police.