JAMES OWEN AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENCES IN MERSEYDALE AND LIVERPOOL
A convicted sex offender from Merseyside, James Owen, has once again found himself behind bars following a series of troubling and predatory incidents involving a young girl and a student.Owen, whose criminal history is extensive and includes numerous convictions for sexual misconduct and other offenses, has demonstrated a troubling pattern of behavior that has culminated in serious legal repercussions.
The latest incident occurred on a train in the Wirral area in June 2021, where a 17-year-old girl was subjected to a distressing assault while traveling with a friend.
According to the prosecution, David Polglase, during the hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Owen initiated a conversation with the teenager as she was preparing to disembark at her stop.
Without warning, Owen subjected her to a sexual assault, touching her inappropriately.
The victim, visibly distressed by the incident, tried to leave the train, but Owen's actions persisted as she attempted to get away.
Owen, who resides on Buckingham Road in Wallasey, was arrested shortly after the attack on the same evening.
His criminal record reveals that he has accumulated a staggering 37 prior convictions encompassing 58 separate offenses.
These include charges as varied as fare dodging on the railway network, harassment, and acts of violence.
His history of sexual offenses is particularly alarming: he was convicted of indecent exposure in 2015, for which he received a suspended sentence.
Later, in 2018, Owen was imprisoned for 12 months following a conviction for sexual assault.
The heinous pattern of Owen’s predatory behavior was previously reported in The Echo, detailing how he targeted a vulnerable, intoxicated student in Liverpool city centre in May 2018.
The young woman, who had been separated from her friends after a night out, was unable to stand when Owen approached her.
He initially engaged her with casual gestures, ruffling her hair before walking away towards Concert Square.
However, he later returned and was caught on CCTV standing uncomfortably close, tampering with her handbag and spilling its contents.
Despite her attempts to steady herself by holding onto a window, Owen continued his assault by kissing her with her eyes closed.
He also rifled through her belongings, stealing cigarettes and a lighter.
In addition, Owen inappropriately touched her thigh and was joined by another man who pinched her mobile phone.
An unidentified woman also took an item from her bag before passersby intervened.
As a consequence of these actions, Owen was sentenced in April 2021 to a 17-week prison term, suspended for two years, for failing to notify authorities of his change of address and for battery.
Defense attorney Paul Wood told the court that Owen had shown remorse and claimed to have abstained from alcohol in recent times.
He emphasized that his client had gained some insight into his actions and expressed a desire to change, describing his lifestyle as chaotic.
Despite this, Owen’s past convictions, including one for sexual assault, significantly shaped the severity of his current sentencing.
Owen ultimately pleaded guilty to the sexual assault charges before his trial could commence.
He also admitted to failing to comply with the statutory requirement to notify authorities of his address change.
The court sentenced him to two years in prison.
Additionally, Owen was ordered to register as a sex offender for a further ten years and was subject to an indefinite restraining order designed to prevent future contact with the victims.
Judge David Hale presided over the sentencing and addressed Owen directly, stating, “You didn't know her from Adam, but you struck up a conversation.
When she gets up to leave, you stuck your hand out and groped her in the crotch without any thought for the consequences.
She has been extremely badly affected by it.
You have troubling previous convictions, some of them trivial and some of them not—including a prior sexual assault.
This took place on a train when people were about.
Despite that, you felt able to do this.” This case underscores the persistent danger posed by Owen and highlights the ongoing concern regarding violent and sexual offenders within Merseyside.
