ERIK MOTTERSTHEAD FROM CHESHIRE SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES
A man aged 60, known as Eric Mottershead and originally from Congleton in Cheshire, has been handed a severe prison sentence of 30 years after being convicted of a series of serious sexual offences.The conviction followed a comprehensive three-week trial held in March, during which Mottershead was found guilty of 29 out of 35 charges brought against him.
These charges encompassed a range of heinous acts, including rape, indecent assault, assault of a child under the age of 13 by penetration, assault by penetration, and the taking of indecent photographs of a minor.
The court proceedings culminated in a sentencing hearing at Chester Crown Court on Friday, July 5, where the judge imposed the lengthy prison term along with an additional two years on an extended licence.
Furthermore, Mottershead was subjected to a restraining order, placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and mandated to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
The offences in question were committed over a span of several years, specifically between 2001 and 2007, involving four different children in the Congleton area of Cheshire.
The case came to light when, on September 8, 2020, one of the victims courageously came forward to Cheshire Police, revealing that they had been subjected to abuse by Mottershead during their childhood.
Following this disclosure, authorities swiftly acted.
Mottershead was arrested on September 16, 2020.
During the subsequent investigation, police executed a search of his residence, which was no fixed address but linked to Congleton.
Several electronic devices were seized during this search, and these proved crucial in building the case.
The devices were later examined by the Digital Investigation Unit, which uncovered numerous indecent images of children, significantly strengthening the evidence against him.
Detective Sergeant Lee Ferris, who led the investigation and later promoted to sergeant, played a pivotal role in uncovering additional victims.
Over the course of the investigation, he identified three more victims, each of whom provided video evidence to Cheshire Police.
Throughout a year-long process, Sergeant Ferris conducted four separate interviews with Mottershead.
During these interviews, Mottershead consistently denied the allegations, claiming that all victims had fabricated their stories and colluded to frame him.
However, the evidence, including the indecent images found on his phones and computers, conclusively proved his guilt.
In January 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service authorized charges against Mottershead.
He was subsequently released on bail, with strict conditions prohibiting him from contacting the victims.
Despite the complexity of the case, the trial at Chester Crown Court did not commence until March 2024.
During this period, Sergeant Ferris transferred from Cheshire Constabulary to Greater Manchester Police but chose to remain actively involved in the case.
He maintained contact with the victims and collaborated closely with detectives from Macclesfield Local Policing Unit to ensure the case reached court.
Sergeant Ferris expressed his gratitude to the victims, stating, “I’d like to thank the victims for their bravery in coming forward and speaking out about the abuse they suffered.
Mottershead is now paying the price for preying on them when they were children and carrying out horrific and degrading acts on them.
I’m hoping that getting justice will help them in some way and encourages others who have been subjected to such abuse to come forward, no matter how long ago the abuse was.
You will be taken seriously.
You will be supported.
And we will do everything we possibly can to get justice for you.”
