JAMES KNOWLES, MERSEYSIDE OFFENDER, SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN JAIL FOR HISTORIC CHILD ABUSE
Update 05/08/2022: James Knowles, 78, had died in the hospital wing of HMP Liverpool while serving his 25-year sentence................................................................................................................................................................................................................
A terminally ill pensioner from Merseyside who repeatedly raped a young girl over several years has been told he will likely die in prison.
James Knowles, 78, carried out "depraved sexual acts" on an "extremely young child" many decades ago.
The victim first reported the abuse to police in the 1990s but was told "there was nothing they could do, because it happened years ago." Hours before sentencing, she found the courage to speak out once more, leading to Knowles being jailed for 25 years.
During the sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge David Aubrey, QC, stated, "Your evil past has now caught up with you.
You are likely to die in prison." It was revealed that Knowles, of Amber Way, Stockbridge Village, abused the girl when she was between five and ten years old.
Despite denying any wrongdoing, he was convicted last week after a trial of six counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault.
Due to his poor health, Knowles was allowed to give evidence via video link from home, but today he sat in a wheelchair in the courtroom, just meters from his courageous victim.
The defendant, who had no prior convictions, claimed the victim was lying and continues to maintain his innocence.
However, prosecutor Keith Sutton told the jury that Knowles had made admissions to his family, admitting to "messed around" with and "doing some bad things" to the girl, while claiming he was mentally "sick" at the time.
The victim stated that she was raped "weekly" by Knowles, with each count of rape specifying "on no less than 10 occasions." Judge Aubrey clarified, "This means Knowles raped her on no fewer than 60 occasions," describing it as "a persistent campaign of rape upon a particularly vulnerable child." In a victim impact statement read aloud, she detailed the terrible effects of the abuse, saying she spent her youth "looking over my shoulder" and that Knowles "not only robbed me of my childhood, but my life." The judge praised her "courage," noting her first report to police in the 1990s, which was met with dismissiveness at the time.
He said, "Her complaint then fell on deaf ears...
now her evil past has caught up with you." Addressing her emotional pain, Judge Aubrey remarked, "In an old photograph, she shows a smile, but behind that smile was a child living in fear, dread, and incessant worry.
She still speaks of her immense pain and anguish today." He added, "You took away her innocence and destroyed her childhood, causing lifelong emotional and psychological scars for your own perverted gratification." Defence lawyer Brian Treadwell highlighted Knowles' age and ill health, including a terminal heart condition and kidney failure.
He explained that Knowles has a pacemaker with a defibrillator, but had chosen to have the defibrillator switched off and was receiving palliative care at home.
The judge noted that Knowles’s quality of life was "very poor" and that because his defibrillator was turned off, he was vulnerable to serious arrhythmias which could be fatal.
Judge Aubrey stated that Knowles had made a conscious decision not to have resuscitation or further treatment if he suffered a heart attack.
Consideration of his age and health resulted in a downward adjustment, but the gravity of his crimes remained clear.
The judge described him as "an offender of particular concern" and sentenced him to a total of 25 years with an extended one-year license, meaning he must serve at least half the sentence 12 and a half years in prison.
He explained that at that point, Knowles would be nearly 90 and the case could be referred to the Parole Board.
Only if the board judges him no longer to be a risk would he be released earlier.
The judge noted, "It may well be that the Parole Board would never be in a position to consider your case." As Knowles was led out of court, he shook his head and glared at the victim.
An NSPCC spokesperson commented, "This was a horrific and prolonged period of abuse carried out by Knowles, and we hope his victim is receiving all the support she needs.
Her courage in speaking out against her abuser cannot be understated and shows that offenders like Knowles can still face justice even decades after their unthinkable crimes." The spokesperson added, "No matter when abuse took place, help is available to survivors, and we encourage anyone with concerns about a child's wellbeing or who has experienced abuse to speak out and seek support."
