DAVID WHATMORE FROM DEANE SENTENCED FOR CHILD RAPE AND BRIBERY IN BOLTON

In December 2014, a disturbing case of child sexual abuse and manipulation came to light involving David Whatmore, a 50-year-old man from Deane. The Bolton Crown Court heard harrowing details of his prolonged campaign of sexual assault against a young girl, beginning when she was just 11 years old and continuing until she was 13.

Prosecutor Amanda Johnson described how Whatmore initially engaged in indecent touching of the girl, gradually escalating his abuse over the course of two years. The situation worsened as he began raping her, with incidents occurring roughly once a month. These assaults took place in various locations, including the back of his transit van and at his residence, which was located in Deane.

The court was told that Whatmore employed manipulative tactics to control and blackmail his young victim. He devised a coded language to signal when he wanted to have sex, instructing her to “take the dogs for a walk” or “do the dogs.” He also exploited her love for the band One Direction, falsely promising her VIP tickets as a bribe to engage in sexual acts. The girl, a fan of the band, was deceived into believing she would attend a concert, but in reality, Whatmore used this as a means of coercion.

Further details revealed that on another occasion, he instructed her to wear “dressy up clothes” so she would appear older, with the intent of taking her to a bar in Bolton. These actions demonstrated a pattern of controlling and exploitative behavior, which left the girl suffering from severe depression and requiring specialized counseling. Her mother discovered the abuse when she found sexual messages sent from Whatmore on her daughter’s Facebook account, bringing the horrifying ordeal to light in February of the following year.

Whatmore’s guilty plea to five counts of child rape and one count of attempted rape was entered on September 1, just as his trial was scheduled to begin. He later attempted to change his plea but ultimately abandoned that effort. The court was informed that he had no previous convictions and that he expressed remorse for his actions.

Defending counsel Katy Appleton emphasized that Whatmore acknowledged his wrongdoing and accepted responsibility. However, Judge Peter Davies condemned his conduct, describing it as “truly dreadful” and “a campaign of rape.” The judge highlighted how Whatmore exploited the girl’s admiration for One Direction, falsely promising her tickets to manipulate her into sexual compliance.

In sentencing, Judge Davies ordered Whatmore to register as a sex offender for life, prohibit him from having unsupervised contact with children under 16, and ban him from contacting any minors under 18 via social media. The case underscores the devastating impact of his predatory behavior on the young victim, who continues to suffer from the trauma inflicted by his actions.