DAVID BILLINGTON CONVICTED OF CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN BLACKBURN
In a case that has shocked the community of Blackburn, David Billington, a former teaching assistant, has been convicted of multiple serious sexual offences involving young girls.The incidents took place over a span of several years, from 2012 to 2016, while Billington was employed at a primary school in Blackburn.
The court found him guilty of nine counts of sexual assault against six female pupils, all of whom were between the ages of 10 and 11 at the time of the abuse.
Billington, aged 47 and residing on Shadsworth Road in Blackburn, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
In addition to his jail term, he has been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for a period of ten years, a measure that underscores the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
The allegations against Billington came to light after a detailed investigation and trial at Preston Crown Court.
During the proceedings, six young girls testified against him, describing a pattern of inappropriate behavior that included sexual assaults and inappropriate conversations on social media.
The girls, who were in different year groups and social circles, recounted how Billington, often referred to as 'Mr B' by the pupils, engaged in actions that crossed professional boundaries.
One of the victims described how Billington had told her he would be dismissed from his position if she told anyone about a kiss he had given her.
Other girls testified about sitting on his knee, or him placing his arm around their waist, bottom, or hips, and pulling them closer in a manner that was clearly inappropriate.
These accounts painted a disturbing picture of a trusted adult abusing his position of authority.
The case also revealed that Billington had engaged in conversations with two of the victims via social media, further complicating the allegations and highlighting the extent of his misconduct.
The court heard that Billington had been suspended from his duties in February 2016 after a parent reported that her daughter did not feel comfortable around him.
Heather McGowan, the headteacher at St Antony’s Primary School, testified that she had asked Billington whether the allegation was made by a parent or a child, and explained that she would need to send him home pending investigation.
Billington, who admitted to being 'over familiar' with the girls but denied any sexual wrongdoing, broke down in tears during the trial as he claimed that a group of Year Six pupils had started calling him 'a paedophile.' Despite his protests, the jury found him guilty of all nine counts after hearing detailed accounts from the victims.
His sentencing is scheduled for July 5, and the case continues to resonate within the Blackburn community, raising concerns about safeguarding and the protection of vulnerable children in educational settings.
