PETER WHARTON SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL CASE AS MOTHER OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM SHARES HER HEARTACHE

In July 2017, a distressed mother spoke publicly about the devastating discovery that her child had been sexually assaulted by Peter Wharton, a man from Patterdale Avenue, Orford. She described the moment she found out as ‘every parent’s worst nightmare,’ saying, “I was mortified and disgusted.” She revealed that her daughter is now terrified and crying constantly, adding, “She is upset and it’s not fair. My daughter will have to live with this for the rest of her life. She has been punished, so he needed to be punished.”

Wharton, aged 39, was sentenced to 12 months in prison by Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, July 12, after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a child under 13 and attempting to commit a sexual assault. Despite his steadfast denial of the charges, the jury convicted him, leading to his imprisonment.

The mother expressed relief that justice has been served, saying, “She has been so brave because she spoke out straightaway and told my mum. She has been so strong. Just before it happened, she had a sex education class, and it’s a good job. She knew what had happened was wrong. I’m so grateful to the school.”

Since the incident, which took place last summer, her daughter has undergone therapy as she struggles to come to terms with what happened. However, the mother praised her daughter's resilience, stating, “I am proud of how she handled the situation at the time.”

She hopes their story encourages other children to speak out for themselves, emphasizing, “I hope other children speak to their parents or somebody they can trust after reading about what has happened.” Her plea aims to inspire victims to report abuse and seek help, emphasizing the importance of support and awareness in preventing such incidents.