BARRY WOODHEAD CHORLEY PAEDOPHILE SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE AND PERVERTING JUSTICE

In a disturbing case that unfolded in Chorley, a woman named Helen Woodhead-Billington, aged 42, was involved in an attempt to obstruct justice during her husband Barry Woodhead’s child abuse trial. The incident took place in November 2019, revealing a troubling effort to manipulate the legal process and protect the accused.

Helen Woodhead-Billington, residing on Corporation Street in Chorley, took the extraordinary step of creating a counterfeit greeting card. This card was presented as evidence during her husband's trial at Preston Crown Court, where Barry Woodhead faced serious allegations of child sexual abuse. The card was falsely claimed to be from the young victim, suggesting that the accusations made against Woodhead were unfounded. In her testimony, Helen referred to this fabricated card while defending her husband, attempting to sway the court’s opinion in his favor.

However, the deception was uncovered through forensic handwriting analysis. Experts examined the card and conclusively determined that Helen herself had authored it, thereby exposing her attempt to pervert the course of justice. Despite her efforts, the court proceedings continued, and the evidence against Barry Woodhead remained compelling.

Barry Woodhead, now 43 years old, was convicted of multiple serious charges related to the sexual abuse of a young girl. The victim, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, was as young as three years old when the abuse began. The trial, which lasted four days, concluded in October 2017 at Preston Crown Court, where a jury found Woodhead guilty of 24 counts. These included seven counts of rape, seven counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of indecent assault, two counts of indecency with a child, and six counts of sexual assault of a child.

The abuse inflicted upon the girl continued until she reached the age of ten, marking a prolonged period of suffering. The court sentenced Woodhead to serve a significant prison term, and upon his release, he will be subject to an extended license period, overseen by the parole board, to monitor his conduct and prevent further offenses.

Judge Mark Brown, the Honorary Recorder of Preston, ordered that the case be listed for a mention on January 17, 2020. A subsequent sentencing hearing will be scheduled to determine the precise length of Woodhead’s imprisonment and any additional penalties. This case highlights the ongoing efforts of the justice system to address and punish serious sexual offenses against children, as well as the challenges posed by attempts to interfere with legal proceedings.