FRANK JONES FROM WILSDEN AND BRADFORD SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS FOR DECADES OF SEXUAL ABUSE

In a harrowing case that spanned nearly four decades, a retired school teacher from Wilsden, identified as Frank Jones, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for a series of serious sexual offences committed against two young girls. The conviction was handed down at Bradford Crown Court, where the judge described Jones as a “Jekyll and Hyde character,” highlighting the stark contrast between his outwardly respectable persona and the heinous acts he committed.

Jones, aged 62 and residing at Village Mews in Wilsden, showed visible signs of distress in the courtroom, repeatedly shaking his head as the jury returned guilty verdicts on multiple counts. The jury found him guilty of six indecent assault offences against the older girl, as well as two counts of rape and seven counts of indecent assault involving the younger girl. Despite these convictions, Jones was acquitted of two allegations of indecently assaulting a young boy.

The court heard that the allegations against Jones date back to the mid-1970s, when he was living in Bradford. The case came to light after one of the victims reported the abuse to the police, prompting an investigation that eventually led to his arrest in January of the previous year. The abuse against the younger girl began when she was just four years old and continued until she was approximately 12. The older girl was subjected to repeated molestation while she was sleeping on the settee at Jones’s family home.

During the trial, the court was told that Jones, who appeared heavily built and was dressed in a lilac shirt and striped tie, had a complex and disturbing character. Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC instructed him to cease shaking his head at the jurors as he was led away to the cells. Jones’s legal representative, Richard Wright QC, argued that there was no need to delay sentencing for a probation report, as Jones maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Durham Hall acknowledged Jones’s previously respected standing in society, noting his involvement in church and community activities. However, he emphasized the darker side of Jones’s personality, revealing that decades ago, when Jones was battling alcoholism, he had repeatedly indecently assaulted the younger girl and raped her twice. The judge described how the victim, now a successful adult woman, had struggled with thoughts of self-harm and suicide, and had required psychiatric treatment.

The judge condemned Jones’s actions, stating, “You corrupted that young woman and used her as an object.” He also highlighted the impact on the older girl, who had been left feeling numb, frightened, and guilty after the abuse. Both victims had undergone therapy to cope with the trauma inflicted upon them, illustrating the profound and lasting damage caused by Jones’s predatory behaviour.