ARTHUR PAGE FROM BLACKBURN SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN EAST LANCASHIRE AND THAILAND

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, Arthur Page, a 69-year-old man with ties to Blackburn and Thailand, was convicted of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of a young girl. The incident took place over a period of six months, during which Page was entrusted with the care of the six-year-old victim. The details of the case, presented at Burnley Crown Court, reveal a pattern of predatory behavior that included performing sexual acts in front of the child and attempting to manipulate her with offers of money to wear rubber gloves and touch him.

Page, who previously worked as a press photographer for a weekly newspaper covering East Lancashire, was found to possess obscene images of children on his computer. His criminal activities extended beyond the abuse, as authorities uncovered evidence of child pornography stored on his devices. The court heard that Page had admitted to multiple charges, including six counts of indecency with a child, three counts of indecent assault, and two counts of possessing indecent pseudo-photographs of a child.

Judge Raymond Bennett, presiding over the case, sentenced Page to 18 months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years. The judge described Page’s conduct as dreadful and noted the cunning involved in his actions, which included exploiting the victim’s mother by getting her out of the house during the abuse.

During the proceedings, Tina Langdale, the prosecutor, detailed the extent of Page’s misconduct. She explained that the abuse began with seemingly innocent gestures such as hugging and kissing the child, which gradually escalated to more sinister acts. Page would buy her sweets and ice lollies, then introduce inappropriate conversations about 'unsuitable' topics, and perform sexual acts on himself in front of her. The court was shown evidence of Page kissing the girl in an adult manner and watching her use the toilet, with police discovering video footage of children in similar situations during a search of his home.

The prosecution also revealed that Page had placed pornographic films on the television, which the child initially believed to be cartoons. During police interviews, Page admitted to discussing sex with the girl. He also warned her not to tell her mother, threatening that he would go to prison and be beaten if she did. The victim’s mother once found her daughter giggling with Page, which she initially dismissed as a tickling game. However, after the girl disclosed that the abuse had happened again, Page was barred from babysitting her.

Further investigations uncovered that after Page traveled to Thailand on holiday, the young girl confided in her mother about the abuse. Following this revelation, Page was arrested at the airport upon his return. During police questioning, he instructed officers to seize his computer, which contained a single image of a child and five floppy disks with pornographic material involving children under 16.

Defending him, Mark Stuart acknowledged that Page was not in good health and expressed a desire to know his fate. He did not attempt to minimize the severity of the crimes but emphasized that Page had made full admissions to the police. The defendant, who maintained a residence in Thailand and was married to a Thai woman, was described as a hardworking and respected individual prior to these events. Despite his previous reputation, the court’s verdict reflects the gravity of his offenses and the need for justice for the young victim.