TERRY MCVICAR SENTENCED FOR BRADFORD AND MANNINGHAM CHILD SEX OFFENCES AFTER 20 YEARS

In a significant development in a cold case from Bradford, a man named Terry McVicar has been finally brought to justice for a heinous crime committed over two decades ago. The case, which had remained unresolved for many years, was reopened thanks to advancements in forensic DNA technology, which played a crucial role in linking McVicar to the assault through a single hair found on the clothing of the young victim.

McVicar, now 48 years old and originally from Bradford, was identified as the perpetrator after forensic scientists matched the hair sample to him. Although he had previously served a life sentence in 2000 for similar offenses involving young girls, he had not admitted to the Bradford incident at that time. The recent evidence prompted a new legal process, culminating in his sentencing at Leeds Crown Court.

Due to the ongoing nature of the case and the circumstances surrounding the crime, McVicar appeared via a video link from Frankland Prison in Durham to face justice. The court sentenced him to a concurrent life sentence for the 1990 offenses, emphasizing the severity and brutality of his actions. Judge Peter Collier QC, who presided over the case, expressed concern about the potential for McVicar to reoffend, citing the risk that remains despite his incarceration.

In his remarks, Judge Collier described the 1990 incident as particularly appalling, noting the profound impact it had on the victim and her mother. He stated, “The consequences to others of offences like this are especially injurious,” highlighting the lasting trauma inflicted by McVicar’s actions.

The prosecution, led by Jonathan Sharp, recounted the details of the crime. On April 6, 1990, the young girl, just four years old, was playing on a swing with other children at a playground in Manningham. McVicar approached her, asking if she wanted to “go and get some sweets,” and then lifted her off the swing, taking her hand and leading her away. The girl, believing McVicar to be an uncle or familiar figure, was not initially alarmed by his approach.

McVicar then took her to his bedsit in Undercliffe, where the sexual assaults occurred. The court was told that the abuse lasted between one and a half hours, during which little of the time was free from the assault. After the ordeal, McVicar returned the girl to Bradford’s city center and left her outside a shop. She was later found and reunited with her mother, who was overwhelmed with worry and distress.

The case was further complicated by McVicar’s criminal history. Six days prior to the 1990 incident, he had been given a community service order for indecently assaulting a nine-year-old girl, a conviction that stemmed from his then-known status as a cannabis user. Following that conviction, McVicar changed his name and moved from Leeds to Bradford, attempting to evade detection.

During the investigation, McVicar was arrested in January of this year. He cooperated fully, providing detailed admissions about the 1990 assault, which he recalled with remarkable clarity. In contrast, the victim has been unable to speak openly about her experience in the bedsit, with some subconscious memories possibly blocked from her consciousness.

McVicar pleaded guilty in January to charges of kidnapping and indecent assault. His previous convictions include three counts of kidnapping, two of indecent assault on females under 14, and an attempt to unlawfully take a child. His earlier crimes involved a six-year-old girl at a fair, whom he lured with the promise of rides before assaulting her in a rural area. He also approached two girls in their garden, enticing one away with sweets and assaulting her, and attempted to abduct two more children while riding his bike, though he was thwarted by their screams and the intervention of their sister.

Mitigating counsel Suzanne Katzing argued that McVicar’s understanding of the harm caused was improving and that his risk of reoffending was decreasing. Despite this, the court sentenced him to a life term, with a minimum tariff of one year, underlining the seriousness of his crimes. Judge Collier clarified that McVicar would not be eligible for parole until at least 12 months from the date of sentencing, leaving the decision of his release to the Parole Board, which would assess whether he remains a danger to society.