ALAN WILLIS DONCASTER PAEDOPHILE RAPE VICTIMS INNOCENCE IN TOWN PRISON

In a tragic development from Doncaster, a man named Alan Willis, who was convicted of heinous sexual offenses committed decades ago, has died while serving a prison sentence. Willis, a resident of Alverley Lane in the Balby area, passed away at HMP Doncaster on April 5. The cause of death is believed to be due to natural causes, although an official inquest has been temporarily postponed pending further investigations.

Willis, aged 62 at the time of his death, had been sentenced to a total of ten years and six months in prison after a court in Sheffield found him guilty of multiple serious charges related to historic abuse. His conviction stemmed from offenses against two young girls during the 1970s, with the crimes spanning over a couple of years and involving acts of indecency, assault, and rape.

The court proceedings revealed that Willis, who was working as a mobile greengrocer during the period, committed these crimes in the Balby area of Doncaster. The incidents included two indecent assaults on a seven-year-old girl, three counts of indecency with a child, and ten indecent assaults on a nine-year-old girl. Additionally, Willis was convicted of raping the nine-year-old girl in 1972, when she was 11 years old.

The offenses reportedly took place during the summer holidays of 1970 and 1972. The first set of crimes occurred at a farm where Willis was employed on Alverley Lane, a location that has since been demolished. The later offenses happened while he was working on his mobile fruit and vegetable van, which traveled through various neighborhoods including Balby, Warmsworth, Hexthorpe, Hyde Park, Intake, and Edenthorpe. The crimes came to light after the victims reported them to South Yorkshire Police in September 2012.

Following his conviction, Detective Constable Sharon Row, who led the investigation, expressed her sentiments about the case. She stated, “These were horrific crimes on two innocent young girls who were robbed of their childhood and had to endure years of emotional turmoil. I hope his victims can gain some sort of closure and begin to get on with their lives.”

Willis had retired from his family's mobile greengrocery business in 2008 due to his declining health. The business, which covered thousands of miles annually, served customers across several districts in Doncaster, including Balby, Warmsworth, Hexthorpe, Hyde Park, Intake, and Edenthorpe. Despite his death, the legal proceedings surrounding his case remain ongoing, with the inquest into his death temporarily adjourned for further inquiries.