JULIE AND TONY WADSWORTH OF BROUGHTON ASTLEY JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN WARWICKSHIRE WOODS
In a case that has shocked the local community and cast a dark shadow over the reputation of two once-respected media figures, Julie and Tony Wadsworth, residents of Broughton Astley, have been sentenced to five years in prison for a series of heinous crimes involving under-age boys.The offences took place in woodland areas near Atherstone, Warwickshire, during the early to mid-1990s, and the court proceedings revealed disturbing details about their actions and the extent of their misconduct.
Julie Wadsworth, aged 60, and her husband, Tony Wadsworth, aged 69, were found guilty by a majority verdict after a three-week trial at Warwick Crown Court.
The jury convicted them of encouraging young boys, some as young as 11, to engage in sexual activities, as well as outraging public decency by having sex in open woodland.
The court heard that the couple’s actions were not only deliberate but also carried out with a disturbing awareness that their young victims were unable to legally consent.
Throughout the trial, emotional scenes unfolded in the courtroom.
Mrs.
Wadsworth, who was cleared of one specific indecent assault at her home, was seen gulping repeatedly, swaying in the dock, and wiping away tears with a black tissue.
Her husband, Tony, showed little visible emotion, calmly handing a mobile phone to his solicitor before the couple was remanded into custody to await sentencing.
The court was told that both had previously worked at the BBC, with Mrs.
Wadsworth known on-air as Julie Mayer, and they had been employed at the BBC’s former studios at Pebble Mill in Birmingham.
Prosecutor Miranda Moore QC outlined the case, describing how the Wadsworths had engaged in or watched sexual acts in a parkland area, with some victims witnessing the acts while they occurred.
The court was told that an 11-year-old boy was among those who saw the couple’s activities, which included sex acts performed openly in the woods, with the Wadsworths taking pleasure in the fact that young boys were watching and encouraging them to do so.
Mrs.
Wadsworth was accused of encouraging individual boys to participate in sexual acts, often while she was engaged in the acts herself.
Her husband, Tony, served as a lookout or minder, often present in line of sight to ensure the activities continued without interruption.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Tony Wadsworth, an award-winning DJ who had presented shows on BBC Radio Leicester and BBC WM, was guilty of indecent assault due to his role in these events, which included standing nearby with a camera, allegedly to intimidate or monitor the victims.
Victims came forward after many years, with some contacting police as recently as two years ago after realizing that what had happened to them in the 1990s was wrong and unacceptable.
One victim, whose identity remains protected, recounted how he met the Wadsworths in parkland and only learned their names after recognizing their voices on a radio show.
Police interviews played during the trial revealed that he had up to 15 sexual encounters with Mrs.
Wadsworth as a teenager, some occurring before he turned 16, and that Tony Wadsworth had joined in a sexual threesome with him at their home after his 16th birthday.
Additional witnesses described seeing the Wadsworths engaging in sexual acts against a tree in full view of young boys, with some victims estimating they were around 11 or 12 years old at the time.
One witness, who was approximately 10 or 11, described seeing the couple having sex in the woods, while others recounted being indecently assaulted in their early teens.
The court also heard that Mrs.
Wadsworth had admitted to police that she knew the wooded area well and had engaged in outdoor sexual activities with her husband, which she described as “spicy” for their sex life, but she denied any involvement with children.
Throughout the proceedings, both defendants maintained their innocence, denying all allegations during police interviews and in court.
Mrs.
Wadsworth claimed she was merely out for walks in the woods and had engaged in “hanky panky” with her husband, while Tony Wadsworth provided a written statement denying all charges.
Despite their denials, the evidence and testimonies presented by the prosecution painted a disturbing picture of predatory behavior.
Following the verdict, David Rouse of the Crown Prosecution Service commented on the case, stating, “In their public and professional lives, they appeared as caring, warm, and respectable individuals.
However, in their private lives, they preyed on young, impressionable victims for their own sexual gratification.
I would like to thank the victims for their courage during this difficult and sensitive prosecution.
They have helped to bring these two sexual predators to justice.” This case serves as a stark reminder of the hidden dangers that can lurk behind seemingly normal facades and underscores the importance of vigilance and justice in protecting vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.
