It was partially reported on the news, Moved. As well as children he met via TV, he abused children in his own home and those of friends, by getting himself into positions of trust, reading bedtime stories, bathing children and offering to give speech therapy sessions.
He has been convictded of sexually assaulting a girl aged 16, groping the breasts of another aged 16/17, kissing a 13 year old on the lips and putting his hand up the skirt of year old.
Seems that he's guilty of inappropriate touching/fondling and kissing. On the sexual abuse scale that's quite tame but I guess it's the message that this sentence gives out that is important. It was probably worse because he denied it all and was arrogant with it which added to the trauma for his victims. Had he accepted the charges on arrest he might not be in prison now.
I hope you don't mind me commenting on the tameness issue, Mollie. I don't think the frightened children would call his abuse tame. Some have given anonymous interviews and were clearly harmed by what he did. If you think about the size of a child aged 9, she would be hurt by an adult man's intrusive fingers.
Greatnan he'll do half the sentence. No early electronic tag for this type of conviction.
I'm confused. Did these offences take place forty or so years ago? If so, it would be middle aged women now who were giving evidence.
I read he touched a 9 year old on the leg. Was there penetration then when?
Was he convicted of 13 offences?
Somehow, it seems to matter to get the facts straight.
I'm pleased that sex abuse is being taken seriously at last and just hope this extends to believing future rape victims and doing something for present day children who are being abused/raped.
The adults who have given interviews had their words voiced over by actors. Attempted digital penetration was alleged. I don't know what the convictions cover today as it's just starting to emerge that more was alleged than the 13 specimen convictions he has been sentenced for. He pleaded guilty a month or so ago, so that stopped the trial in its tracks. He would have known by then that so much information was going to be available to the public if he didn't plead guilty before even more came out.
when Thanks for your input, it's good to get a balanced view from you. I get fed up with people dismissing these offences just because they happened so long ago.
I agree Ella. Amongst other things that I don't wish to reveal, an uncle kissed me goodnight, when, I was a 7 year old and rammed his tongue down my throat...it has tainted many a kiss ever since. Please don't trivialise 'tame' acts committed long ago. Would it seem tame if it was your granddaughter?
What I find awful is that he's still bewildered by what he did. He still doesn't understand it was wrong, after all a bit of 'harmless' fondling was not uncommon 40 years ago - especially at the BBC and other places where the victims were in awe of the perpetrators.
No intention on my part to trivialise at all. I know how scary inappropriate touching can be. But I haven't read anything that mentioned any attempt at penetration of any kind, just groping, so if there was more to these offences than I've read then my comments will seem insensitive.
I genuinely wanted to know what he did. The only thing mentioned in the report I heard was that he asked a child to cuddly him as if he were a teddy bear.