Latest Offenders Bolton

Description

A CROSS-dressing paedophile who sexually abused a six-year-old girl while wearing a wedding dress has been jailed for a total of 15 years.

Stephen Owen, aged 62, was yesterday found guilty of four counts of indecent assault, three charges of indecency with a child, and two counts of attempted rape committed against two girls in Bolton in the 1980s and 1990s. The court heard he wore his wifes dresses and shoes before touching one of the girls and forcing her to perform sex acts.

He later gave her money for sweets and told her that it was their little secret, the court heard.

Owen gave the second girl money after forcing her to perform sex acts, the jury of six men and six women heard.

One of the girls is now in her mid 30s and the other in her late 20s and cannot be named for legal reasons.

The abuse took place when they were aged nine to 15 and six to 11. The case came to light after one of the victims saw an article in The Bolton News about Owen, who was jailed for nine years in 2008 after being found guilty of 13 sexual offences against a third young girl.

Owen was sentenced to a further nine years for the latest offences and given an additional six years to run consecutively to his existing sentence, totalling 15 years.

Detective Constable Mike Mather, of Bolton CIDs Public Protection and Investigation Unit, said: Owen was quite clearly a danger to the public and todays sentence reflects that.

His crimes were heinous and I just hope todays result will give some comfort to his victims who were brave enough to come forward and report him.

I also hope that this conviction will act as a ray of hope to other victims of sexual abuse and encourage them to come forward to police.

Description

An ex-hotel porter and child abuser who killed an elderly couple in a hotel arson attack has been jailed for life. The judge at Liverpool Crown Court described Lee Carson as an "extremely dangerous young man".

Carson, 24, of Bolton, Greater Manchester, was found guilty of manslaughter after the fire at the Moat House Hotel, Bolton, in April 2001.

William Robertson, 75 and his wife Margaret, 81, from Blackpool, Lancashire, both died in the fire.

Carson was caught after telling friends he started the blaze at the hotel, which was caused when he set fire to mattresses in a corridor.

The couple were on holiday when they died

The bodies of Mr Robertson and his wife were found in a corridor after the attack.

They both died from smoke inhalation.

An inquest jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing in September 2003.

Carson had denied starting the fire and pleaded not guilty to murder and two alternative charges of the manslaughter of Mr and Mrs Robertson.

In February a jury took just under four hours to find him guilty of the manslaughter of the couple but acquitted him of murder.

Convicted sex offender

Carson had previously been convicted of indecent assault on a 15-year-old girl in 1998.

He is currently serving four-and-a-half years for another indecent assault on a young girl in May 2002 and will serve at least 15 years after being given two life sentences for manslaughter.

Speaking outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Cook from Greater Manchester Police, who led the investigation said: " We are pleased that a very dangerous man has been removed from the streets for a long time.

"Lee Carson admitted his involvement to those close to him yet he still refused to plead guilty.

"I hope that the victims and families of the victims involved in the fire will now be able to move on with their lives knowing that justice has today been served and that Lee Carson will have a long time in prison to reflect on his actions that tragic night."