KINGSLEY CHESWORTH OF HIGHER WALTON JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN LANCASHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Higher Walton and the wider Lancashire area, Kingsley Chesworth, aged 36, has been sentenced to prison after admitting to a series of serious child sex offences. The revelations emerged during court proceedings that detailed Chesworth’s disturbing online activities and previous misconduct, highlighting a pattern of predatory behavior involving underage girls.

Chesworth’s criminal actions came to light after police investigations uncovered his engagement in explicit conversations and inappropriate conduct with minors through the internet and social media platforms. The case was brought before Preston Crown Court, where Chesworth pleaded guilty to 11 charges in September, including attempting to incite a girl under the age of 14 to perform sexual acts, causing a minor to engage in sexual activity, and possessing indecent videos of children.

The court was informed that the initial investigation was triggered when an undercover police officer, posing as a 12-year-old girl, engaged in online chat with Chesworth. During this exchange, Chesworth expressed a desire to take risks, mentioning skydiving and posing nude for live drawings. The conversation then took a graphic turn, with Chesworth performing a sexual act on himself while communicating with the undercover officer. This incident led to his arrest the following day.

Following his arrest, Chesworth’s mental health rapidly declined, resulting in a month-long hospitalization in a psychiatric unit. Police subsequently analyzed his computer, discovering that he had engaged in similar explicit conversations with multiple other underage girls. Further evidence revealed that Chesworth had recorded videos of at least one girl touching herself intimately, a fact that added to the severity of his offenses.

Chesworth’s background includes a history of inappropriate conduct in the educational setting. Previously, he was banned from teaching for two years after being found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct when he carried out a sex act in view of a teenager. His employment history includes positions at Fulwood Academy and Lostock Hall High School, where concerns about his behavior had previously been raised.

In the latest case, Chesworth admitted to inciting a 13-year-old girl to perform sexual acts on herself and to exposing herself in June of the previous year. He also encouraged a 13-year-old to expose herself in July, and later engaged in sexual activity in front of a 14-year-old girl. Additional charges include encouraging a 15-year-old to expose herself and attempting to incite a 12-year-old into sexual activity on multiple occasions, including at his home where he believed he could be observed.

The court heard that Chesworth also attempted to incite a 12-year-old girl into sexual activity by exposing himself and performing a sex act, actions that he committed again in an effort to involve a child in sexual acts. His defense team highlighted that Chesworth suffers from bipolar disorder, and he was granted conditional bail until his sentencing hearing scheduled for October 19 at Burnley Crown Court.

Judge Jonathan Gibson, presiding over the case, emphasized the aggravating factors, notably Chesworth’s creation of indecent videos involving children. The judge condemned the use of the internet as a tool for targeting vulnerable minors for sexual gratification. Despite the gravity of his offenses, Judge Gibson acknowledged that Chesworth appeared remorseful for his actions.

Chesworth’s criminal history also includes a previous conviction in 2011, when he was banned from teaching for at least two years after being found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct. At that time, he was reported to have carried out a sex act in view of a teenager and a woman, and had contacted students at his former schools with inappropriate questions about their sexual activity and attire. Police investigations into these earlier incidents revealed that Chesworth had asked three students at Lostock Hall High School whether they wore bras and if they were sexually active, although no further action was taken at that time.

The case underscores ongoing concerns about the safeguarding of children and the importance of monitoring individuals with a history of inappropriate conduct in educational and online environments. Chesworth’s sentencing will determine the length of his imprisonment, but the community remains deeply troubled by the extent of his misconduct and the vulnerability of the victims involved.