JASON CHARLTON FROM DEANE CAUGHT TRYING TO KISS 4-YEAR-OLD GIRL ON BUS IN WIGAN

In a disturbing incident that took place in Deane, Bolton, and Wigan, Jason Charlton, a man with a prior conviction for similar offenses, was involved in an attempted sexual assault on a young girl. The incident occurred on October 1 of the previous year, around 5 pm, at Moor Lane bus station, where Charlton was waiting for the 540 bus service traveling from Bolton to Wigan.

According to court reports, the young girl, aged four, was accompanied by her mother who was engaged in paying the bus driver when the incident unfolded. As her mother’s attention was diverted, the girl moved further onto the bus, and it was at this moment that the distressing event occurred. Witnesses and the court heard that the girl was heard saying “no,” indicating her discomfort and resistance. The mother, upon hearing her daughter’s protests, turned around to see a man, later identified as Jason Charlton, sitting behind the driver with the girl under his arms. Court testimony revealed that Charlton was attempting to pull her face towards his, in an apparent effort to kiss her.

Distressed by the situation, the mother quickly intervened, forcibly removing her daughter from Charlton’s grasp. She then moved further into the bus and sat down, away from the man. The bus driver, noticing the disturbance, stopped the vehicle on Wigan Road. Despite Charlton’s pleas, the driver kept the bus doors closed until police officers arrived to take control of the situation.

During the court proceedings, it was clarified that there was no evidence to suggest that Charlton had coaxed or encouraged the girl to approach him. No gestures or signals indicating such behavior were observed by witnesses. The court heard that Charlton, who resides on Rogerstead in Deane, had a prior conviction dating back to 2003 for possessing twelve counts of indecent images of children.

Judge Richard Gioserano sentenced Charlton to a three-year community order. The order includes requirements for him to complete 35 days of rehabilitation activities and participate in a sexual offender group work program. Additionally, Charlton was placed under a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, which explicitly bans him from working with children. The judge remarked on the seriousness of the case, stating, “Your distorted sexual thinking has clearly now manifested itself some 13 years later in what I accept was a spontaneous act towards this child, and a very worrying one indeed. A community order is the best possible prospect of achieving the long-term protection of children.”

Overall, the court’s decision reflects the gravity of the offense and the ongoing risk posed by Charlton, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding children from individuals with a history of sexual offenses.