Febuary 2012 Pensioner in court for indecent assault A 78-year-old convicted sex offender has been placed on probation for indecently assaulting a young girl ten years ago. Arthur Wadsworth, of Carlyle Grove, Leigh has previous convictions for sexually assaulting children, serving four years in 1986. And since the offence a decade ago he has two more convictions and been on a three year rehabilitation course. At Liverpool Crown Court Judge Gerald Clifton told Wadsworth that if he was being sentenced shortly after the offence between May and August 1992 he would have gone to jail. But since he has not committed any more offences since 2003 he would instead place him on probation for three years. The judge said: “It is desirable in the interests of securing your rehabilitation and protecting the public from harm from you.” He said that while one report described Wadsworth as presenting a low risk of harm to children, another report said he posed a high risk. “It is my personal view that with your record for a propensity for young girls you remain a high risk,” he said. “This was an absolutely disgraceful offence.” Judge Clifton ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for five years. Harry Pepper, prosecuting, said the offence involving a nine-year-old girl took place in her bedroom while a funeral wake was being held in the house. The girl later told a friend and some relatives what had happened but it only came to the attention of the police last year. Steven Swift, defending, said Wadsworth, who suffers from severe lung problems, lives a reclusive life with his partner. He said: “He has undergone a three year community based programme designed to address sexual offending and he has not re-offended.”