PAUL WOOTTON JAILED FOR ABUSE NEAR WOLVERHAMPTON

In January 2007, Paul Wootton, a 45-year-old paedophile carer, was sentenced to eight years in prison for abusing boys at Wightwick Hall School near Wolverhampton.

During the sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, a judge described Wootton's actions as a "gross breach of trust" while he served as a "house parent" at the school. Wootton, from Cornfield Drive, Lichfield, had pleaded guilty to five serious sexual offences involving children under 16, with allegations dating back to the 1980s and 1990s.

In addition to his guilty pleas, Wootton requested that five more sexual offences, including indecent assault, be taken into account during his sentencing.

The court heard that three victims had been attacked by Wootton, one of whom broke down in tears while recounting the abuse during the proceedings.

Wootton's assaults took place in various locations, including changing rooms at Bridgnorth Youth Club, where he would take children out of school hours, as well as in the laundry and bedrooms at Wightwick Hall School, situated on Tinacre Hill in Compton. It was revealed that in 1996, Wootton, then residing on Brean Road in Stafford, had previously served a six-month jail sentence for indecently assaulting two boys.

The court emphasized that the school was intended to cater to vulnerable children.

Judge Nicholas Webb highlighted Wootton’s admission to a probation officer, stating, "You have admitted to the probation officer that a big part of you applying for the job at the school had been the access that it would allow you to children. Whatever your belief was, they were not in fact consenting to what you did. They felt disgusted at what happened and with themselves." The judge also noted that one of Wootton’s victims had attempted to take his own life in later years.

Defense lawyer Mr. Towlowchan Dubb explained that Wootton had been "greatly confused" about his sexuality.

As part of his sentence, Wootton was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and was prohibited from working with children ever again.