LEE WOODEND SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND VOYEURISM IN TONGE MOOR

In January 2007, a disturbing case unfolded at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court involving Lee Woodend, a 32-year-old man from Union Road, Tonge Moor, who was convicted of heinous crimes against an eight-year-old girl. Over an extended period of 18 months, Woodend engaged in multiple acts of sexual assault, exploiting a position of trust he had with the child's family.

Woodend's relationship with the victim's mother allowed him to occasionally look after her, which he used to his advantage. The court heard that during these times, when he was alone with the young girl, he committed a series of sexual offenses. The severity of his actions was compounded by the fact that he caused significant psychological harm to the child, who remains unnamed in accordance with legal restrictions.

The victim's mother provided emotional testimony, revealing the profound impact of the abuse. She described how her daughter, now unable to be identified publicly, had been left deeply traumatized. The girl began experiencing vivid nightmares, which her mother said started just three weeks prior to the court hearing. The mother explained, “It takes hours for me to calm her down. She won’t go to sleep at night.” She also reported that her daughter had stopped eating, was reluctant to attend school, and withdrew socially, isolating herself from her siblings and struggling to communicate.

The case came to light when the mother discovered that Woodend had been secretly filming her. Prosecutor Lisa Judge explained that Woodend had drilled a hole in the floor of a room, which allowed him to secretly record the mother in her bedroom. This revelation led to his arrest and subsequent charges. Woodend admitted to three counts of voyeurism, in addition to the five counts of sexual assault against the young girl.

During the trial, Woodend’s defense attorney, Jeoffrey Samuels, stated that his client denied the sexual assault allegations but confessed to becoming “almost addicted” to watching the tapes of the girl’s mother. The court heard that Woodend had illicitly filmed the mother by drilling a hole into her bedroom floor, an act that added a disturbing dimension to his criminal behavior.

Judge Mort, presiding over the case, sentenced Woodend to three years in prison for the sexual offenses and an additional eight months for voyeurism, with both sentences to run concurrently. The judge expressed hope that time would aid in the healing process for the young victim. He emphasized the importance of protecting the public and punishing those who abuse their trust, especially when children are involved. Woodend was also ordered to register as a sex offender and will serve an 18-month period of supervision on license after his release from prison.