FRANCIS WARD OF DORNOCH AND WALLASEY: SCANDAL INVOLVING SEXUAL ABUSE AND ONLINE CHILD EXPLOITATION IN SCOTLAND AND MERSEYSIDE

In December 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Francis Ward, a former foster carer with connections to Dornoch and Wallasey, who was found guilty of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young girls. The allegations revealed that Ward, now residing in Wallasey, had molested two girls in Sutherland, Scotland, several years prior. One of the victims, who was only eight years old at the time, and another who was 11, endured a series of traumatic experiences at the hands of Ward, who exploited his position of trust as a foster carer to commit these offenses.

During the trial held at the High Court in Edinburgh, the adult victim recounted the emotional and psychological toll of Ward’s threats and manipulations. She described how Ward, then 69 years old, called her “sexy” and told her she “had a good body,” which added to the trauma. More distressingly, Ward warned her that her family “would be hurt” if she disclosed the abuse, a tactic designed to instill fear and silence her. The victim explained to advocate depute Richard Goddard, QC, that these threats left her “too scared” to speak out for many years. It was only after she found the courage to confide in support workers that she was able to reveal the full extent of Ward’s misconduct.

Ward denied the allegations, maintaining his innocence throughout the proceedings. However, the court found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault, observing an underage girl in a private act, and engaging in sexual communication with her. It was also revealed that Ward had a prior conviction related to sending sexual communications to children, which resulted in a community payback order and a restriction of liberty order in 2017. Despite his previous legal issues, Ward’s defense, led by QC Brian McConnachie, argued that he was “a man who has not kept good health” and requested that he be granted bail ahead of sentencing scheduled for the following month.

In response, the judge expressed willingness to allow Ward’s continued bail, but mandated that he be placed on the sex offenders’ register. The court commended the victims for their “immense courage” in coming forward and sharing their painful experiences, acknowledging the bravery it takes to confront such trauma in a court of law.

In addition to the 2021 case, Ward’s criminal history includes a 2017 incident where he was convicted of sending sexual messages to children via an online platform. At that time, Ward, then 65 and living in Bishopfield, Dornoch, was banned from leaving his home at night, placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register, and prohibited from any contact with minors under 17. His online activity was uncovered after security operators on the children’s social networking site Movie Star Planet (MSP) flagged multiple accounts linked to his email address. Investigations revealed that Ward had created a persona on MSP, aimed at children aged 8 to 15, and had attempted to engage in sexualized chats with underage users.

Following these findings, police executed a search warrant at Ward’s Bishopfield residence in January 2016, seizing a laptop on which evidence of his misconduct was discovered. Ward admitted to sending explicit messages to a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old on September 3 and October 15, 2015. As a result, he was placed on a community payback order with social work supervision for 18 months and a restriction of liberty order confining him to his home from 8 pm to 6 am for 80 days.

Further back, in October 2017, Ward, then 65 and now residing in Wirral, Merseyside, admitted to creating a persona on MSP and sending indecent messages to children. His online activity was again scrutinized after security staff noticed multiple accounts linked to his email, [email protected]. Police investigations led to a search of his Dornoch home, where evidence was recovered, including a laptop containing incriminating messages. Ward’s actions included sending sexually explicit messages to a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old, with messages such as “Oh Babes squeeze. I promise I will make your back arch in joy” and “I hug you in my mighty MSP arms.”

Ward’s case has garnered significant attention due to the severity of his offenses and his history of exploiting vulnerable children both in person and online. His upcoming sentencing is highly anticipated, with the court considering the full extent of his misconduct and the impact on his victims. The authorities continue to emphasize the importance of safeguarding children from predators like Ward, whose actions have caused lasting harm to innocent victims across Scotland and Merseyside.