ANTHONY WATERHOUSE BRAMHOPE PAEDOPHILE CAUGHT IN LEEDS AFTER BREACHING COURT ORDER

In a serious development in the ongoing efforts to protect children from known offenders, Anthony Waterhouse, a 67-year-old man residing at Rosemount Flats on Breary Lane in Bramhope, has been found guilty of violating a court-mandated Sexual Offenders Prevention Order. The incident occurred in Leeds, where Waterhouse was seen wandering in public spaces with a young girl, raising alarm among authorities and witnesses alike.

Waterhouse's court appearance at Leeds Crown Court came after he admitted to six separate breaches of the order, which was originally imposed on November 23 of the previous year. This order was specifically designed to prevent him from having any unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16 and to prohibit him from entering areas frequented by children, such as playgrounds, fairs, and other recreational venues. The court's concern was heightened by Waterhouse's prior conviction for a serious sexual offence involving an 11-year-old girl.

His earlier conviction stemmed from an incident at Peel Park in Undercliffe on May 31, 2004, where a jury found him guilty of indecently assaulting the young girl by groping her beneath her clothing. Following this conviction at Bradford Crown Court, Judge Scott Wolstenholme sentenced Waterhouse to a three-year community rehabilitation order and mandated his participation in a Sex Offenders Programme run by the probation service.

Despite these restrictions, Waterhouse was caught breaching the order on multiple occasions between January 1 and June 13 of this year. He admitted to having unsupervised contact with a six-year-old girl on four separate occasions, including walking her in a Leeds park and visiting a gym area within a leisure centre. Prosecutor John Bull highlighted that Waterhouse had been seen walking his dogs with the young girl in a Leeds park, which was a clear violation of the court's restrictions, as he was alone with her.

Further, a woman who recognized Waterhouse observed him spending approximately 20 minutes in the gym area of a local leisure centre, where families and children were present. This sighting underscored the ongoing risk he posed and the breach of the court's protective measures.

During the hearing, Philip Morris, representing Waterhouse, argued that his client had made a poor judgment call but emphasized that no children had been subjected to any indecent assault during these breaches. Nonetheless, Judge Wolstenholme expressed grave concern over the case, describing it as particularly troubling. He stated, “It is a serious breach of the order to go wandering off with a little girl,” highlighting the gravity of Waterhouse’s actions.

The judge also reflected on Waterhouse’s past offences, noting that his previous crime involved gaining the trust of young children before committing the assault. Given the circumstances, Judge Wolstenholme sentenced Waterhouse to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. He expressed the view that Waterhouse remained a significant risk to children and that the time he had already spent in custody since his arrest in May was insufficient as a deterrent. The court ordered that his case be reviewed every three months in front of the judge to monitor his compliance and risk level.