GEORGE BUTTERFIELD PONTEFRACT SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN PONTEFRACT AND HOWDEN CLOUGH

In a case that has shocked the community of Pontefract and surrounding areas, George Butterfield, a 70-year-old man from Halfpenny Lane, Pontefract, has been sentenced to a total of nine years in prison after admitting to a series of serious sexual offences committed against a young girl during the 1990s. The sentencing took place at Leeds Crown Court on May 16, following Butterfield’s guilty plea to ten counts of indecent assault, which involved a single victim over a period spanning from 1992 to 1999.

Butterfield’s crimes came to light after his victim, who had endured years of silent suffering, decided to come forward and report the abuse in early 2017. This brave decision prompted a police investigation that ultimately led to his conviction. As part of his sentence, Butterfield was also subjected to a sexual harm prevention order, a legal measure designed to restrict his future conduct and protect the public from potential reoffending.

Earlier, in June 2011, Butterfield, then living in Windsor Walk, Howden Clough, was found guilty of a different set of heinous acts involving young girls. During that trial, evidence was presented that Butterfield had used alcohol to manipulate and sexually abuse girls aged around 12 and 13. The jury convicted him of five counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16 and two counts of sexual assault on a child, with the incidents occurring in 2003 and 2004.

The court heard how Butterfield, often referred to as Alan, would invite the young girls into his home, where he would give them alcohol, ostensibly to prevent them from getting into trouble on the streets. The trial revealed disturbing details, including that Butterfield’s inappropriate behavior extended beyond just giving alcohol; he was often seen using sexual language and touching the girls inappropriately. One of the victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, became severely ill after drinking at Butterfield’s house, and he subsequently committed five acts of indecent assault on her. Another girl reported that Butterfield had given her alcohol and attempted to assault her while she was sleeping.

During sentencing, Recorder Alistair MacDonald QC described Butterfield’s actions as deliberate and calculated, noting that he used alcohol as a tool to diminish the girls’ resistance and facilitate his sexual abuse. The judge praised the victims for their remarkable courage in coming forward and giving evidence, acknowledging the trauma they endured and their strength in seeing the case through to court. Butterfield was sentenced to three and a half years for the indecent assault charges and an additional year for sexual activity with a child. Furthermore, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was placed under a sexual offences prevention order, ensuring ongoing restrictions on his behavior to safeguard the community.