MICHAEL BROOKS SENTENCED TO SIX LIFE TERMS IN FARNWORTH FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE AND RAPE

In a harrowing case that has shocked the community of Farnworth, Michael Brooks, aged 38, has been sentenced to six life imprisonment terms after a series of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse and rape of young girls over a span of several years. Brooks, residing on St Gregory’s Close in Farnworth, pleaded guilty in April to multiple charges, including the rape and sexual assault of three young girls, one of whom was only seven years old at the time of the initial abuse.

On the following day, during a sentencing hearing at Bolton Crown Court, Judge Stephen Everett detailed the severity of Brooks’ crimes. The judge stated that Brooks would serve a minimum of eight years before being eligible for parole, but emphasized that he would remain on license for the remainder of his life. The court handed down a life sentence for each of the four counts of rape and two additional life sentences for charges of assault by penetration involving a girl under 13 years old.

In addition to these sentences, Brooks admitted to committing five indecent assaults, performing sexual acts with children on four occasions, engaging in sexual activity with a minor on five counts, and possessing indecent images. The crimes spanned from 1997 until February of the previous year, illustrating a prolonged period of abuse.

The police investigation was triggered after one of Brooks’ victims reported the abuse, leading to a raid on his residence. During the search, authorities discovered nearly 2,500 indecent images of children and 54 video clips depicting young victims being abused on Brooks’ personal computer. This evidence underscored the extent of his criminal activities and the disturbing nature of his offenses.

Judge Everett condemned Brooks’ actions, stating, “You groomed a little girl from the age of just seven by firstly indulging your perverted sexual desires with her, before you moved on to raping her when she was just 11 years old, and you raped her many times. The seriousness of what you did cannot be underestimated. You took away this girl’s childhood, before moving on to other young girls. The bravery she has shown has been immense.”

Prior to sentencing, Brooks submitted a letter to the court, expressing remorse and hoping to “build bridges” with his victims. However, one of the victims, a 17-year-old girl who was raped and sexually abused from the age of six, spoke publicly about her ongoing struggle. She explained that she would never fully recover from her ordeal, despite her efforts to move on.

She shared her experience, saying, “No matter how much I try to push it away, something triggers my memory back to him; something he used to say or used to do. It sounds sickening. I knew it was wrong but it had been going on for that long it just became normal.”

The victim recounted how her disclosure came about after confiding in a friend, who then informed her parents. “I don’t know what made me feel like it was the right time to say something. It just came out,” she said. She urged other victims to come forward, emphasizing that speaking out can help prevent further abuse and aid in healing.

Detective Constable Steph Parker praised the victims for their courage, stating, “I can’t praise the victim enough for her strength. It gives hope to others and I would urge them to come forward. The police do listen, and justice has been served.”

The community of Farnworth can now begin to recover from this dark chapter, knowing that Michael Brooks has been held accountable for his actions and will spend the foreseeable future behind bars, unable to harm others again.