LESLEY AUSTIN FROM MORTON BAGGOT SENTENCED FOR DECADES OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN WARWICKSHIRE

In a case that spanned over forty years, Leslie Austin, a pensioner residing in Netherstead Cottages, Morton Baggot, near Henley, has been convicted of multiple serious sexual offenses involving young girls from the Warwickshire area. The lengthy legal proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse committed by Austin, who was ultimately sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Three of Austin’s victims were compelled to testify twice during the court trials at Warwick Crown Court. The initial jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges involving one of the victims, leading to a retrial. During this second trial, a different jury found Austin guilty of all five remaining charges related to the other three victims. The court heard that the offenses took place over a span of four decades, with some victims as young as ten or eleven years old at the time of the abuse.

Prosecutor Michael Williams detailed the extent of Austin’s misconduct, emphasizing that the crimes began in the 1970s and continued into the 2010s. The victims, all of whom knew Austin in various capacities, recounted their experiences, which included instances of inappropriate touching and sexual assault. The first victim, now in her 50s, recounted how she would visit Austin’s home with her family during her childhood in the 1970s. She described how Austin would take advantage of moments when he was alone with her, touching her intimately. Although she confided in her mother about the abuse, she chose not to report it at the time, fearing her father’s reaction. It was only after her husband learned of the abuse that she decided to come forward, prompting police investigations.

Another victim, aged ten or eleven in the 1980s, had visited Austin’s residence because she knew his daughter. During her visit, Austin entered a room where she was alone and touched her over her clothes while brushing her hair. A third victim, in her mid-teens during the early 1990s, was at Austin’s house after a shower when he entered a bedroom and sexually assaulted her. The police investigation was reignited in 2016 after Austin offered to give an older teenage girl a driving lesson. During the lesson, he inappropriately touched her thigh and breasts, further confirming the pattern of abuse.

Austin consistently denied all allegations, claiming that the victims were lying and suggesting a conspiracy against him, which he attributed to his ex-wife, who had divorced him over twenty years prior. However, Judge Anthony Potter condemned Austin’s actions, describing him as “a menace to females.” The judge emphasized the gravity of the offenses, which spanned four decades and involved four different girls. In his sentencing remarks, Judge Potter made it clear that the court viewed Austin’s conduct as deeply harmful and unacceptable, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the long-lasting impact on his victims.