Child rapist who drugged 12-year-old girl jailed
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A Barnsley man has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of drugging and sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl he encountered while she was missing from home. Adam Batley, 30, provided the child with alcohol and drugs before committing the assault. The victim later disclosed the abuse to social workers, leading to his arrest.
Batley denied the allegations throughout questioning and pleaded not guilty at trial, but was convicted on 31 July following evidence presented at Sheffield Crown Court. He received an indefinite restraining order and indefinite sex offender registration. Investigating detectives commended the victim's bravery and urged other abuse survivors to report crimes to police, assuring them they would be believed and supported.
- Adam Batley, 30, jailed for 9 years for drugging and raping a 12-year-old girl he found when she went missing
- Found guilty after trial despite pleading not guilty; showed no remorse during interviews
- Victim praised for courage; police encourage abuse survivors to report crimes
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Adam Batley, a 30-year-old man from Barnsley, has been jailed for nine years after being convicted of drugging and sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl. The pair crossed paths while the girl was reported missing from home, and Batley gave her alcohol and drugs before assaulting her.
Batley denied the offences and pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court following a trial, with the verdict returned on 31 July. He was also given an indefinite restraining order and made subject to indefinite sex offender registration requirements.
Cases like this typically come to light after a child discloses abuse to a trusted adult, such as a social worker, which then triggers a police investigation. They matter because they highlight the vulnerability of children who go missing from home and raise wider questions about how such risks are identified and prevented.
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