DAVID WOODWARD FROM BULWELL SENTENCED FOR HISTORICAL SEXUAL OFFENCES IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

In August 2018, a serious case involving a 74-year-old man from Nottinghamshire, specifically from the Bulwell area, culminated in his conviction and sentencing for multiple historical sexual offences committed against young girls during the 1980s and 1990s.

David Woodward faced a Nottingham Crown Court trial that lasted four days, during which he was accused of and found guilty of three separate sexual offences. Despite his denial of the allegations, the jury convicted him on all counts. The offences included two incidents of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 in the 1980s, and a charge of gross indecency with a girl under 14 in the 1990s. The court proceedings revealed the disturbing nature of his actions, which spanned over a decade.

Following the verdict, Judge Gregory Dickinson QC sentenced Woodward to a total of three and a half years in prison. Specifically, he received a sentence of two and a half years for the two indecent assaults, with an additional 12 months for the gross indecency, both to run concurrently. The judge also ordered that an extra year be added to his license upon release, and that he serve at least half of his sentence before being eligible to apply for parole. Furthermore, Woodward will be registered on the sex offenders’ register for life, reflecting the severity of his crimes.

During the court hearing, a victim of Woodward’s abuse delivered a heartfelt and emotional statement. She expressed how the trauma inflicted upon her as a young girl has had a lasting impact on her life. She stated, “What happened to me has ruined my life,” and shared her ongoing struggles with fear and anger. She recounted how she still feels scared when men approach her and described feeling like a bad mother to her children, often shouting at them due to the internal anger and pain she continues to carry.

The court also heard that the victim had come forward to police seeking some form of relief from her suffering. Woodward was accused of inappropriate touching when she was approximately six or seven years old, and again when she was between seven and eight. The third charge involved a second girl, also six years old, when Woodward deliberately exposed himself to her. Despite denying the allegations, Woodward was convicted of all three charges after a trial earlier this month.

It was noted that both victims are protected by automatic lifetime anonymity due to the nature of their cases. The judge emphasized that Woodward, who had no prior convictions and had worked as a driver until health issues forced him to stop, showed no remorse or admission of guilt during the proceedings. His conduct has now resulted in a significant prison sentence and lifelong registration as a sex offender, marking a serious chapter in his life and a reminder of the importance of justice for victims of sexual abuse.