PAUL BALCOMBE FROM WHITCHURCH SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN SHREWSBURY

In August 2016, a man from Whitchurch named Paul Balcombe, aged 45, was sentenced to serve over four years in prison after being found guilty of multiple serious sexual offences and possession of indecent images of children. The sentencing took place at Shrewsbury Crown Court, where the court heard details of his crimes and the legal proceedings that led to his conviction.

Paul Balcombe, who resides on Newport Road in Whitchurch, pleaded guilty to a total of six charges during a previous hearing. These charges included two counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 13, a crime that carries significant legal and moral repercussions. In addition to these, he admitted to three counts of possessing indecent images of children, categorized as Category A, which is considered the most severe classification. He also confessed to possessing images classified under Categories B and C, along with one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

The court was informed that Balcombe's actions involved a disturbing pattern of sexual misconduct against young girls, and his possession of highly illegal and explicit images further compounded his criminal record. During the sentencing, Judge Peter Barrie addressed Balcombe directly, emphasizing that his initial statement to police, claiming that the victims “did not object” to his actions, was entirely inappropriate and failed to acknowledge the gravity of his offences.

For the sexual assault charges, Balcombe was sentenced to four years in prison for each offence, with these sentences to run concurrently, meaning he would serve the same period for both crimes. The possession charges resulted in an additional four months for each count, but these were ordered to run concurrently with each other and were to be served after the completion of the sexual assault sentences. The judge clarified that Balcombe would serve half of his total sentence before being eligible for release on licence, a form of supervised parole.

Furthermore, Balcombe was ordered to notify police of his whereabouts upon release and was explicitly barred from working with children in any capacity in the future. To prevent any further risk, the court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, restricting his activities and contact with minors. These measures aim to protect the community and prevent any potential reoffending by Balcombe, whose crimes have caused significant concern within the Whitchurch area and beyond.