JAMES PALMER FROM CHIPPENHAM AND LANGLEY BURRELL SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF BOYS IN WIDESPREAD CRIMES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Chippenham and Langley Burrell, James Palmer, a 47-year-old newsagent, has been sentenced to serve a lengthy prison term after being found guilty of sexually abusing multiple young boys over a period of several years.

The criminal acts came to light during a trial at Swindon Crown Court, where it was revealed that Palmer's abuse of a 13-year-old boy began in 2003. The victim, who was assisting Palmer in his shop at the time, recounted how the abuse started after he complained of a sore shoulder. Palmer, who had a military background and a prior conviction for manslaughter in Germany, offered to give the boy a massage. The victim described how Palmer instructed him to lie on the floor, and what initially appeared to be a simple gesture escalated into inappropriate touching. The young man later told police that