PAUL EVANS FROM WARRINGTON SENTENCED FOR YEARS OF CHILD ABUSE IN SHOCKING CASE

In a deeply disturbing case that has shocked the community of Warrington, a man named Paul Evans has been sentenced to eight years in prison for the horrific abuse of a young girl. The incident, which spanned over a year, involved Evans, aged 45 and residing on Ridgeway Street, coercing a four-year-old girl into keeping a secret while subjecting her to a series of appalling acts of sexual abuse.

Warrington Crown Court heard on Friday how Evans, who was employed at a local supermarket, meticulously groomed the young victim before carrying out the abuse. The court was informed that Evans took explicit photographs of the girl, totaling 40 images in compromising positions. Further, investigators uncovered more than 300 images of other children downloaded from paedophile websites, revealing a disturbing pattern of interest in child exploitation.

Judge Roger Dutton, presiding over the case, condemned Evans' actions as 'disgusting' and emphasized the profound impact on the victim and her family. The judge stated, “This clearly has had a serious impact on her, and her family. It may be she is able to put it behind her and move on, but I’m afraid the courts deal regularly with cases of sexual exploitation, where the victim in later life recalls everything.”

The victim’s mother, who was present in court, was visibly emotional as the verdict was announced. Prosecutor Paulinus Barnes detailed that the abuse occurred between June 18, 2012, and June 17, 2013. The case came to light after the young girl’s behavior changed dramatically; she became clingy, refused to eat, and exhibited signs of distress. On June 16 of the following year, she confided in a relative, prompting police involvement.

Following her disclosure, authorities arrested Evans two days later. During police interviews, Evans admitted to multiple sexual assaults on the child. It was also revealed that he had a longstanding interest in child pornography and fetish material, with police seizing his computer, tablet, and phone, which contained a history of visiting child exploitation websites.

Evans pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault by penetration, eight counts of taking indecent images, and one count of possessing a collection of indecent images. His plea was entered at an earlier hearing on April 16. Defense lawyer Simeon Evans expressed that his client felt remorse and guilt for his actions.

In addition to his prison sentence, Evans was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and was issued a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with children under 16.

The mother of the young girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, attended the court to describe the devastating effects of Evans’ actions on her family. She revealed that she had attempted to take her own life just weeks prior, stating, “I’m on two kinds of anti-depressants, and suffer panic attacks, and anxiety. Last month I was admitted to Warrington Hospital after taking an overdose of paracetamol.”

The abuse has also severely affected the young victim. Her mother explained, “(My daughter) has become extremely claustrophobic. She had to be taken out of the cinema recently because she couldn’t handle the dark. (She) can’t handle being in toilets and having the door closed.”

Furthermore, the victim’s brother has been deeply impacted by the trauma. Her mother shared, “(My son) feels angry because he feels he should have been able to protect his sister. He has been referred to the NSPCC, and a child psychiatrist.”

This case underscores the profound and lasting damage caused by such heinous acts and highlights the importance of vigilance and intervention in protecting vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.