A PAEDOPHILE who has been found guilty of historic sex offences committed during the 1980s has been sent to prison.
Nine counts of indecent assault
Police have welcomed the welcoming the sentencing of Ian Wilkinson, who was convicted of the offences, which took place over a five-year period in Newton-le-Willows.
Wilkinson, 64, was found guilty of nine counts of indecent assault on a child in the 1980s, after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
The defendant, of Ormskirk Road, Up Holland, appeared for sentencing at the court on Tuesday, January 31.
He was jailed for nine years for the offences which were committed on a boy.
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'Wilkinson prolonged his victim's suffering'
Detective Inspector Alyson Keenan said: “We’re pleased to see Wilkinson dealt with at court. Wilkinson prolonged his victim’s suffering by denying the offences resulting in a trial, and I am pleased that he is now behind bars.
“While no sentence will repair the damage that his abuse has caused, I hope that by seeing him sent to prison it will give his victim some sort of closure.
“I hope this sentencing also shows that time is no barrier to reporting offences and we take every report extremely seriously, no matter when it occurred. I would urge anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence at any time to come forward and we will do everything we can to help and support them.
“We are committed to protecting victims of sexual offences, and anyone who reports an incident to us will be safeguarded and supported throughout the investigation.
“We have a team of dedicated staff who will expertly and compassionately deal with your reports and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”
How to report a sexual offence
Anyone with information or who wants to report a sexual offence is asked to call 101 where they will be spoken to by specially trained officers or they can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
If you’ve been affected by sexual violence of any kind, support is available through the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Victim Care Merseyside service - Home: Victim Care Merseyside.
In St Helens and Knowsley, support is provided by the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) Cheshire and Merseyside who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063.
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