GEORGE WELSH OF BIRKENHEAD JAILED FOR OVER 12 YEARS ON SEXUAL ABUSE CHARGES

In November 2008, George Welsh, a former youth club leader from Birkenhead, was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for serious sexual offenses involving three boys. Welsh, aged 64 and residing on Saxonia Road in Walton, was originally due to face trial six years earlier but absconded to Spain on the first day of the proceedings. He was compelled to return in March of that year due to ill health, and upon arrival at Manchester Airport, police had him immediately re-arrested.

Welsh was charged with a total of 29 offenses involving four boys but was ultimately convicted of 22 counts connected to three victims following a trial. Judge John Phipps sentenced him to 12 years for six counts of buggery and 16 counts of indecent assault, with an additional four months added consecutively for breaching his bail conditions. Furthermore, Welsh was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was permanently banned from working with children.

Prosecutor Simon Christie disclosed during the trial that Welsh served as a youth leader at the Shaftesbury Boys Club in Tranmere. During the late 1980s, Welsh befriended vulnerable boys at the club, often buying them sweets and taking them to his caravan in Rhyl, North Wales. He sexually assaulted two of these boys between ages 12 and 16, with incidents occurring both on Merseyside and at his caravan. Although the boys confided in friends, they did not initially report their abuse to authorities. In around 2000, they decided to approach the police about their experiences.

By chance, North Wales police were already investigating a different complaint from a boy who had told of being molested by Welsh in 1999. At that time, Welsh had retired and moved to his caravan in Rhyl, where some of the offenses reportedly took place. Welsh was arrested and scheduled for trial in April 2002 but fled to Spain before proceedings could begin, the court heard.

Defending him, Philip Hall stated that Welsh maintained his innocence and had no prior convictions. He also highlighted Welsh’s poor health as a mitigating factor.