DAVID KNIGHT JAILED FOR ABUSE IN KEIGHLEY AND KETTLEWELL: SHOCKING CRIMES REVEALED

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Keighley and Kettlewell, David Knight, a 61-year-old former teacher, has been sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of multiple counts of indecent assault against young girls. The conviction was handed down at Bradford Crown Court, where the jury unanimously agreed on his guilt after a five-day trial.

David Knight, who resided in Ladycroft, Kettlewell, in the scenic Yorkshire Dales, had a long-standing career in education, having worked at various schools across Keighley, North Wales, and Cornwall. His professional life took a significant turn in 1996 when he was elected chairman of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), a position that brought him considerable respect and recognition. However, beneath this veneer of success and public esteem, serious allegations of abuse had been lurking for years.

The charges against Knight stemmed from complaints made by three women in 2005, with some of the alleged offenses dating back more than two decades. The victims, who were between 11 and 13 years old at the time of the abuse, came forward with their stories after years of silence. The first complainant, who was living in Skipton, North Yorkshire, at the time, claimed that Knight had indecently assaulted her on four separate occasions. She confided in her mother when she was 17, but it was only after she saw press reports about an unrelated sex abuse case that she decided to report her own experiences to the authorities.

Her revelations prompted another friend to come forward with additional allegations, and eventually a third woman also disclosed that she had been subjected to similar abuse during her childhood. These testimonies painted a disturbing picture of Knight’s actions during his years as an educator and community figure.

During the trial, Knight vehemently denied all accusations, maintaining his innocence throughout the proceedings. Despite his protests, the jury took just two and a half hours to reach a unanimous verdict of guilt on all 11 charges of indecent assault. The court heard that Knight, who was living in Skipton at the time of the trial, had been a teacher since 1968. He had taken a position at a school near Keighley in 1974 and eventually became head of the mathematics department in 1991. His career was cut short when he took early retirement following his election as CND chairman in 1996.

Judge Linda Sutcliffe, presiding over the case, sentenced Knight on a Friday afternoon, describing the impact of his crimes on the victims. She stated that the victims’ “adolescence had been corroded” by Knight’s actions and emphasized that they were now living with the consequences of his abuse. The judge also criticized Knight’s apparent success and respectability, contrasting it with the “skeleton hanging in his cupboard,” implying the hidden nature of his misconduct.

As part of his sentence, Knight was ordered to be banned from working with children and was required to sign the sex offenders’ register for life, marking a stark end to his career and reputation. The case has left a lasting scar on the communities of Keighley and Kettlewell, raising awareness about the importance of safeguarding children and the devastating effects of abuse by trusted individuals.