KEITH WHITWORTH'S SHAMEFUL CRIMES IN BEDALE AND NEARBY YORKSHIRE TOWNS LEAVE PUBLIC OUTRAGED

In a case that has shocked the communities of Bedale, Catterick Village, Darlington, and Newton Aycliffe, Keith Whitworth, a 37-year-old man from Burneston near Bedale, was brought before the court to face serious allegations of indecent exposure and sexual misconduct involving minors. The incidents, which spanned over a six-week period during the summer holiday season, saw Whitworth traveling between towns, targeting areas where children and young teenagers were present, in a calculated effort to commit his offences.

Whitworth's disturbing pattern of behaviour was uncovered after the fifth incident, which led to his arrest. Authorities used CCTV footage that captured his vehicle's license plate, leading to his detention. The court heard that Whitworth had previously exposed himself in Newton Aycliffe in January, and his activities had reportedly been ongoing for approximately three years. His actions included two charges of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and four charges of exposure.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Michael Taylor expressed his frustration at the limited options available to him under the law. He noted that Whitworth had deliberately targeted locations where children were likely to be present, and he believed that a custodial sentence would have been appropriate to both punish the offender and facilitate a treatment program to prevent future offences. However, the law only permitted him to impose a supervision order, which he described as a source of frustration.

Judge Taylor stated, "I take a very serious view of the fact that these offences were over a number of weeks and you went from town to town where you targeted areas with young children present." He further added, "If I was able to impose a prison sentence and ensure that you could get suitable treatment in prison, that would be appropriate and that is what the public would want me to do. However, the two custodial sentences I have available to me do not enable me to do that."

As part of his sentence, Whitworth was placed under a three-year supervision order, and he was also registered as a sex offender. Additionally, he was subjected to a six-month curfew from 9:30 pm to 7:30 am daily. Whitworth, who was wheelchair-bound at the time of sentencing, spent two months on remand prior to his conviction.

Outside Teesside Magistrates Court, which was sitting as a Crown Court for sentencing, the parents of two children who witnessed Whitworth's indecent acts expressed their disappointment with the outcome. Despite their dissatisfaction with the lack of a custodial sentence, they emphasized the importance of treatment and moving forward.

The father of one of the children stated, "We are disappointed that he wasn't sent to prison, but we realize that it is better that he gets treatment so that he won't do this again to any other young children." He added, "As far as we are concerned, he is a danger to the public, but we have to put this behind us now and help our children recover from the trauma they experienced. He has ruined so many lives with his despicable behaviour." The father also expressed relief that Whitworth's parents were present in court to hear the full extent of their son's actions.

In mitigation, Whitworth's legal representative, barrister Tom Mitchell, stated that his client was deeply horrified by his own actions. The court was also informed that, in addition to the supervision order, Whitworth was placed on the sex offenders register and subjected to a six-month curfew, restricting his movements during nighttime hours. Whitworth had already spent two months in custody on remand prior to sentencing, and the court emphasized the seriousness of his offences and the need for ongoing monitoring to protect the community.