ALEC HEAPS FROM STOCKPORT SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON SCHOOLGIRL IN MANCHESTER
In a case that has shocked the local community of Stockport and the wider Manchester area, Alec Heaps, aged 53, was sentenced to a five-year prison term after being found guilty of multiple sexual offenses involving a young girl.The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse that spanned several years, leaving a lasting impact on the victim's life.
Heaps, who worked as a postman, faced charges that included five counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, along with an additional count of sexual assault of a minor.
Throughout the trial, Heaps maintained his innocence, choosing to contest the allegations and forcing his young victim to relive her traumatic experiences during the court proceedings.
Despite his protests, the jury unanimously convicted him of all charges, leading to his sentencing at Manchester’s Minshull Crown Court.
As the sentence was handed down, members of Heaps’ family, visibly emotional, waved and blew kisses from the public gallery, displaying their support and distress.
The court heard how the abuse inflicted by Heaps had left the victim profoundly traumatized.
She had kept her ordeal secret for many years, only revealing the abuse after confiding in a counsellor, then her mother, and ultimately reporting the matter to the police.
Prosecutor John Savage described the devastating effects of the abuse, emphasizing that it had affected the girl’s entire life, both physically and psychologically.
He stated, “She had difficulty concentrating in the course of her academic studies.
She still relies on anti-depressants.
Her self-confidence has been impacted and she has low self-esteem.” Judge Recorder Paul Reid QC, who presided over the case, sentenced Heaps to five years in prison and ordered that he be placed on the sex offenders’ register.
In his remarks, the judge highlighted the lasting harm caused to the victim, saying, “It’s plain that your victim has suffered psychological harm for a number of years as a result of your behaviour.” He further described the impact as “overwhelming and profound,” adding, “You continue to deny the offences of which you have been convicted and you present a high risk of serious harm to female children.” Throughout the sentencing, Heaps’ family showed their emotional distress, sobbing, waving, and blowing kisses as he was led away by the authorities, marking a somber conclusion to a case that has left a deep scar on the community of Stockport and beyond.
