CHRISTOPHER YOUNG FROM GLOUCESTER AND SWINDON JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES

In a case that has spanned decades and involved multiple locations including Gloucester and Swindon, Christopher Young, aged 64, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison following a series of serious criminal allegations involving minors. The proceedings revealed a troubling history of abuse, with Young accused of exploiting vulnerable children during the 1980s and 1990s.

Young’s legal troubles came to a head after he failed to appear at Swindon Crown Court where he was on trial for numerous historic offences. These charges stemmed from allegations of sexual abuse against two children, one of whom had learning difficulties, in the Rodbourne area of Swindon. The court was told that Young had been staying at a hotel nearby when the trial was underway. After his barrister delivered the closing argument, Young abruptly left the hotel and did not return, effectively evading the proceedings.

In July of the same year, authorities conducted a search of Young’s hotel room. During the search, they discovered his crutches and a full suitcase, indicating he had been using mobility aids and had packed belongings. Despite his absence, the judge at Swindon Crown Court instructed the jury to disregard the fact that Young was not present in the courtroom. The jury ultimately convicted him of one of the 16 charges he faced, a conviction that led to his subsequent arrest.

Following his conviction, police tracked down Young after he was found collapsed at Bristol Temple Meads station. It was revealed that he had spent several nights sleeping on the beach at Weston-super-Mare. Young, who now resides in Gloucester, was taken into custody and brought before the court for sentencing. His arrest was precipitated by his deteriorating health and his attempt to return to Gloucester after a brief period of evading authorities.

During the trial, Young’s defense lawyer, Michael Forward, maintained that his client continued to deny the allegations, asserting that the accusations were false. Forward explained that Young had left the trial venue because he was overwhelmed by the pressure of the proceedings. He recounted that Young had left his accommodation in Swindon, withdrew £70 in cash, and traveled to Weston-super-Mare, where he spent nights sleeping on the beach. His attempt to return to Gloucester was interrupted when he collapsed on the platform at Bristol Temple Meads station while trying to catch a train. He was hospitalized and subsequently arrested at the hospital, where he has remained in custody.

It was also revealed that Young suffers from poor health, taking various medications daily. The court noted that he had a prior conviction in 1982 for attempting to choke, suffocate, or strangle with intent to commit an indictable offence, which was also of a sexual nature. Despite his age and health issues, Judge Douglas Field emphasized the seriousness of the crimes, especially considering the vulnerability of the victims involved. The judge stated, “The serious aggravating features is that the boy was particularly vulnerable. He was intellectually impaired. There is no doubt in my mind that you took advantage of this situation both in engineering the offending and in confiding that it would never be disclosed.”

In addition to the 20-month prison sentence, Young was ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of 10 years. The jury acquitted him of two counts of rape, two other serious sex assaults, and four indecent assaults. They were unable to reach verdicts on five other indecent assaults and one gross indecency charge, leading prosecutors to decide against seeking a retrial and to offer no further evidence. The charges primarily involved the boy, with some relating to a young girl, highlighting the breadth of the allegations against him.