PETER WILLIAMS, FARNWORTH AND SALFORD PAEDOPHILE CHOIRMASTER, SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Farnworth and Salford, Peter Williams, a former choirmaster and organist at St James’ CE Church in Farnworth, has been sentenced to prison after admitting to a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against young children during the 1970s.

Williams, who was responsible for leading two church choirs and serving as the organist at the church, was found guilty of abusing children in the church’s vestry. The court heard that his actions took place during his mid-20s, a period when he held a position of significant trust and influence within the local community.

Prosecutor Rachel White detailed how Williams targeted an 11-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy, exploiting his authority and the trust placed in him by the church congregation. The court was told that Williams used his role to sexually assault these children, with the abuse beginning in the late 1970s and involving multiple serious incidents.

Judge Timothy Clayson, presiding over the case at Bolton Crown Court, sentenced Williams, aged 60 and residing on Claremont Road in Salford, to 28 months in prison. The judge emphasized that if these crimes had been committed more recently, Williams would have faced a much longer sentence due to the severity of his offenses.

Williams pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault on a child and one count of indecency with a child. The court was informed that his misconduct was not an isolated incident; prior to the offenses in the 1970s, Williams had already appeared in court for indecent behavior on church premises, indicating a pattern of inappropriate conduct.

Judge Clayson condemned Williams’ breach of trust, stating, “What you did to them was a very serious breach of trust.”

The court detailed the nature of the abuse, revealing that Williams first assaulted an 11 or 12-year-old girl when he followed her into a church toilet, hugged her, and then placed his hands on her bottom. After this initial offense, the abuse escalated. When the girl was 13 and alone with Williams in the church vestry, he coerced her into performing a sexual act on him, which was only interrupted by a passerby.

In addition to the abuse of the girl, Williams also targeted a nine-year-old boy, instructing him to remove his trousers before sexually abusing him. These acts of misconduct highlight the predatory nature of Williams’ actions and the betrayal of trust inherent in his position within the church community.

The case has brought to light the dark history of abuse within religious institutions and underscores the importance of safeguarding vulnerable children from those in positions of authority. Williams’s sentencing marks a significant step in addressing past abuses and delivering justice for the victims involved.