ANTHONY LAMB OF BADSEY ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON TWO GIRLS NEAR EVESHAM

In a case that has shocked the local community of Badsey near Evesham, Anthony Lamb, a 38-year-old man, was recently released from court despite being found guilty of serious sexual offenses involving two young girls. Lamb, who resides on Bretforton Road in Badsey, was subjected to a three-year community order that was described as 'rigorous' by Judge Patrick Thomas, aimed at addressing his underlying issues and preventing further offenses.

Prior to this sentencing, Lamb had already served eight months in custody as part of the ongoing legal proceedings. He had pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of sexually touching two girls aged 14 and 12. Additionally, Lamb admitted to possessing nine separate files containing sexually explicit images of children, some of whom were younger than ten, which he stored on his personal laptop computer.

During the sentencing at Worcester Crown Court, Judge Thomas acknowledged Lamb’s cooperation in seeking help, noting that he had visited his general practitioner in an attempt to address his problems. Despite this, the judge condemned Lamb’s actions, emphasizing the gravity of his misconduct. "You expressed totally inappropriate sexual interest in two young girls where you were in a position of trust," Judge Thomas stated. "You viewed sexually explicit images of children of a disgusting nature. Were it not for people like you, the abusers would have no need to subject children to this kind of extreme abuse."

It was also noted that Lamb was suffering from clinical depression at the time of the offenses, which occurred around New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in 2009, as well as in February of the same year. The court heard details of the assaults, starting with a 14-year-old girl at a house party. Prosecutor Charles Hardy described the incident: "He sat next to her and stroked her leg. When she told him to stop, he moved his hand to the top of her leg, squeezing her inner and outer thigh."

The following day, Lamb assaulted the same girl again, this time in a bedroom, where he touched her breasts beneath her top. Later that year, he targeted a 12-year-old girl while she was relaxing on a sofa watching television. Hardy explained that Lamb had "pushed his hand up her trouser leg," leading the girl to raise the alarm a few days later when she was at school.

Despite the severity of these offenses, Lamb was not sentenced to prison but was instead given the community order, which has sparked controversy and concern among local residents and advocacy groups. The case highlights ongoing issues related to the rehabilitation and monitoring of sex offenders within the community of Badsey and the surrounding areas near Evesham.