THOMAS GREEN OF GREAT LEVER CONVICTED OF MULTIPLE SEX OFFENCES IN BOLTON

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Great Lever and the wider Bolton area, 84-year-old Thomas Green has been found guilty of a series of heinous sexual offences involving young girls. The conviction follows a detailed two-week trial at Bolton Crown Court, where a jury composed of six men and six women deliberated for over ten hours before reaching a unanimous verdict.

Green, who resides on Sandham Walk in Great Lever, was convicted of multiple serious charges, including the rape of one child, sexual assault of another, causing a child to observe a sexual act, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a minor on two occasions, and five counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 13. The severity of these offences underscores the grave nature of the crimes committed by the pensioner, who has a troubling history of sexual misconduct.

The court was told that Green’s abusive actions came to light through a series of disturbing messages he sent to a young girl while she was on holiday with a friend. The girl, who was only 13 at the time, reached out to Green via her mobile phone to ask for a top-up, but Green responded with refusals and inappropriate comments, claiming that she had not done anything for him when he asked. The girl was visibly upset by his responses, and after sharing the messages with her friend, her mother was informed, leading to police involvement.

Prosecutor Peter Warne detailed how Green had groomed one of the victims by offering her gifts and manipulating her into a sexual relationship. Green’s justification for his actions included claims that he needed to perform sex acts due to a medical condition, a defense that the court found particularly disturbing. The court also heard that Green had previously served a prison sentence in 2011 for sexual offences against a girl, and that in 2017, another young girl came forward alleging that Green had orally raped her when she was a primary school pupil. She also showed the court an indecent photograph of a girl performing a sexual act, which Green had shown her.

The victim from Green’s earlier conviction recounted her experiences, revealing that she initially did not realize her actions were wrong but later understood the severity of what had happened. She described how Green would take photographs of her and make her watch pornographic videos while he performed a sex act on himself. On one occasion, Green offered her £100 for oral sex, which she refused. He attempted to justify his behavior by claiming it was only touching and that he had a medical condition requiring masturbation, employing emotional blackmail to manipulate her.

Judge Martin Walsh, the Honorary Recorder of Bolton, ordered Green to be remanded in custody pending sentencing, which will take place at a future date. The case has left the community in shock, highlighting the ongoing issues of safeguarding and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable children from predators like Green. Green’s actions have not only caused immense harm to his victims but have also raised serious concerns about the safety of children in the Great Lever area and beyond.