VICTOR WARD, 79, RAAF VETERAN AND BUSINESSMAN FROM RAMSBOTTOM, JAILED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN MANCHESTER

In May 2021, Victor Ward, a 79-year-old retired businessman and former RAF serviceman from Newcombe Road, Ramsbottom, was sentenced to nine years in prison for a series of horrific sexual assaults on young girls. Ward, who previously served as director of Warton Metals in Ramsbottom, committed his crimes from the mid-1980s. Despite denying six counts of indecent assault, a jury convicted him after a trial. The victims only reported their assaults to police in 2019.

Prosecutor Huw Edwards detailed the abuse, stating, “Ward molested his first victim when she was 17 in the mid-1980s. She said she wanted to scream, but the defendant put his hand over her mouth.” The woman, now an adult, only confided in her family years later and recently contacted authorities.

A few years afterward, in the late 1980s, Ward assaulted another girl aged 13 or 14. The victim recounted how Ward knelt beside her, assuring her he wouldn’t hurt her, and ordered her to unbutton her shirt. She complied, and Ward then lifted her up and pressed her against his bare chest, making her feel that he was sexually aroused. This attack was only reported to police in 2019.

His third victim, believed to have been seven or eight at the time, was sexually abused repeatedly by Ward during her primary school years. The girl’s account included ward removing her underwear, performing a sex act on her within a caravan park, and molesting her on at least ten occasions. The prosecution detailed that Ward would sit her on his knee and ask about her knickers before touching her sexually.

Judge John Potter acknowledged Ward's age and health issues, noting the “positive parts” of his character, including his service in the RAF and his “profitable business” along with generosity towards employees and family. Nonetheless, the judge emphasized the severity of the crimes, stating that only a lengthy custodial sentence was appropriate.

Ward showed no visible reaction as he was sentenced, with the judge informing him he was eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence. Additionally, Ward was ordered to register as a sex offender for life. No family members were present to witness his sentencing.