LESLEY BRINDLE PORTHMADOG SEX OFFENDER JAILED FOR ABUSE AGAINST YOUNG GIRLS

In October 2017, Leslie Brindle, a 70-year-old retired baker from Madoc Street, Porthmadog, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison after being convicted of multiple serious sexual offences involving three young girls. The case, which garnered significant attention, revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse spanning several decades, with Brindle denying all charges and claiming that his epilepsy caused him to undress involuntarily.

Brindle faced a total of 11 charges in the trial held at Caernarfon Crown Court. These charges included causing or inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity, as well as exposing himself to minors. Throughout the proceedings, Brindle maintained his innocence, asserting that his medical condition, specifically his epilepsy, might have led to some of his inappropriate actions without his conscious awareness. He argued that one of the side effects of his epilepsy was a tendency to undress himself without realizing it.

Despite his claims, the jury rejected his defence and found him guilty on all counts. The judge, Mr. Recorder Wyn Lloyd Jones, emphasized the gravity of the offences, stating that they were committed for Brindle’s own “selfish sexual gratification.” He condemned Brindle’s attitude during the trial, noting that the defendant showed no remorse and appeared to prioritize his own interests over the suffering of his victims. The judge underscored the seriousness of the crimes, asserting that only an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate given the nature of the offences.

The trial, which lasted six days in September, uncovered a troubling history. Evidence revealed that Brindle had previously been arrested in 1970 for indecent exposure. During the trial, it was disclosed that he had exposed himself to a girl aged nine or ten and had forced her to watch him perform a sexual act in the late 1980s. The subsequent allegations involved similar offences against two other young girls, with incidents occurring between 2013 and 2016.

Prosecutor Elen Owen presented victim statements that highlighted the profound impact of Brindle’s actions. One victim from the late 1980s described her inability to forget the trauma, revealing that she had been too embarrassed to disclose the abuse earlier and had since received counselling. She expressed relief at finally sharing her experience with her family. The other two victims, who were assaulted more recently, expressed feelings of anger and a loss of trust in people, indicating the lasting emotional scars inflicted by Brindle’s offences.

Throughout the trial, Brindle vehemently denied the allegations. When questioned about why the victims had come forward, he dismissed their claims as products of “a very vivid imagination” and attributed the similarities in their accounts over many years to “coincidence.” He also claimed that he could not have committed the offences because he suffered from erectile dysfunction, which he believed prevented him from engaging in such acts.

During police interviews, Brindle admitted to suffering from epileptic seizures and suggested that he might have been having a seizure during one of the alleged incidents, which he claimed could cause him to undress involuntarily. His defence lawyer, Sion ap Mihangel, argued that Brindle’s age and health issues should be taken into account, emphasizing that a prison sentence would be particularly difficult for him.

As part of the sentencing, Brindle’s name and address will be entered onto the Sex Offenders Register for life, and an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed. The court’s decision reflects the severity of the crimes committed and the need to protect the public from such predatory behaviour. Brindle’s sentencing hearing was scheduled for October 20, 2017, at Caernarfon Crown Court, where a pre-sentencing report was to be prepared to inform the final judgment.