GERALD GREENWOOD'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN BACUP AND WALSDEN: COURT BLOCKS HIS BURIAL PLANS IN ROSSENDALE

In a case that has stirred significant controversy and emotional distress within the local communities of Bacup and Walsden, Gerald Greenwood, a 76-year-old man with a dark criminal past, has faced a decisive legal setback regarding his final wishes. Greenwood, who was previously a shopkeeper in the area, was convicted in 2007 of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young girls, leading to a 12-year prison sentence. His criminal activities, which included multiple charges of rape and indecent assault, have left a lasting stain on his reputation and have deeply affected his family and the wider community.

Greenwood’s desire was to be buried alongside his late wife, Mary Greenwood, in Bacup Cemetery. Mary Greenwood had passed away in November 2005, more than two years before her husband’s incarceration. She was laid to rest in her mother’s plot, as Greenwood’s own family, including their two children, strongly opposed his plan to exhume her remains and transfer them to a new grave adjacent to his own. The family’s objections stemmed from Greenwood’s criminal convictions, which they believed made the idea morally and ethically unacceptable.

Following his release from prison, Greenwood managed to secure a new burial plot in an adjoining space within the same cemetery. He then initiated legal proceedings to have his wife’s remains moved to this new location, claiming that he had been misled or ‘tricked’ into the original burial arrangement. Greenwood argued that he wished to be buried with his wife, with whom he had shared a marriage lasting 48 years, and expressed his desire to have her remains transferred so they could be reunited in death.

His case was taken to the highest court within the Church of England, where he sought to overturn the previous arrangements. In a letter submitted to the court, Greenwood stated: “I feel that I was tricked into this. I have bought an adjoining grave and would like my wife’s remains to be removed to a new grave so that I can be buried with her as we were married for 48 years.”

However, the opposition from Greenwood’s own family and other relatives of his wife was firm. They pointed out that the couple had separated in 2001, and despite Greenwood’s claims of ongoing contact, the family believed that his criminal history made such a union in death inappropriate. The court heard these arguments and ultimately rejected Greenwood’s bid for the exhumation and reburial.

Judge Geoffrey Tattersall QC, serving as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Manchester, delivered the ruling that dismissed Greenwood’s appeal. In his judgment, he stated: “Had the deceased known the full extent of the petitioner’s criminality, I am satisfied that it would have been inconceivable that she would have wanted to be in the same grave.”

Historically, Greenwood and his wife had operated a corner shop together on Cooper Street in Bacup. Today, that property has been converted into a residence at the corner of Blackthorn Lane. Greenwood later moved to Scott Street in Walsden, near Todmorden, where he was reported to be suffering from cancer at the time of his imprisonment. His health issues were cited by his legal team, who argued that he was unlikely to survive long enough to be released from prison.

In December 2007, Greenwood appeared before Burnley Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to three counts of rape and seven offences of indecent assault involving three young girls. The judge at that hearing, Judge Beverley Lunt, described Greenwood’s actions as “quite appalling, repeated and sustained sexual abuse of children,” and sentenced him to a lengthy prison term. Greenwood’s crimes and subsequent imprisonment have left a lasting impact on the community, highlighting the tragic consequences of his actions and the ongoing debate over his final resting wishes.