JOHN MCKENNA FROM SALFORD SENTENCED FOR MULTIPLE ASSAULTS OVER EIGHT YEARS

In a case that has shocked the local community, John McKenna, a man residing on Lancaster Road in Hope, was sentenced to 15 months in prison following a series of disturbing indecent assaults spanning nearly a decade. The crimes, which involved vulnerable victims of different ages, have prompted a renewed call for witnesses and potential victims to come forward to aid ongoing investigations.

McKenna, aged 48 at the time of sentencing, was found guilty of three separate counts of indecent assault. The first incident occurred in 1995 when he assaulted a 12-year-old girl who knew and trusted him. This initial attack was followed by a second series of abuses between 2001 and 2003, during which he targeted a second girl, also aged 12 to 14, whom he knew personally. These assaults further compounded the distress caused to the victims and highlighted a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior.

The third assault took place in December 2001 in Castlefield, Manchester, during a night out with friends, including McKenna. The victim, a 29-year-old woman, entered a pub restroom and was in a cubicle when she encountered McKenna. As she exited, she found him standing by the sink, where he forcibly pressed against her and committed an indecent assault. This incident added to the gravity of his offenses, demonstrating a pattern of predatory conduct extending into adult victims.

McKenna pleaded guilty to all three charges in November 2006, and his sentencing was carried out at Manchester Crown Court earlier this week. In addition to his prison term, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, a measure intended to monitor and prevent further offenses.

Detective Constable Graham Dean from the Public Protection Investigation Unit at Grey Mare Lane expressed his outrage at the case, stating, “Cases such as this are absolutely sickening and people like McKenna need to be caught and brought to justice. He indecently assaulted a young and vulnerable girl in 1995 and then went on to do the same again a few years later. He then moved on from preying on young children to indecently assaulting a woman and is clearly a very arrogant man who, until his arrest a year ago, thought he could get away with this kind of behavior. I hope this is a warning to other people like him that police will investigate reports of this nature and bring offenders before the courts.”

Authorities are urging anyone who may have been a victim or has information related to similar crimes to contact Greater Manchester Police. They can reach the Public Protection Investigation Unit by calling 0161 872 5050. The police emphasize their commitment to protecting the community and ensuring that offenders are held accountable for their actions, regardless of how long ago the crimes occurred.