VINCENT CHADWICK SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN ORFORD

In January 2011, a man named Vincent Chadwick, residing on St Benedict’s Close in Orford, was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing a young girl over a period of two years. The victim, who is now in her twenties, endured a traumatic ordeal that began when she was just 11 years old and continued until she was 13. The court heard that Chadwick’s assaults took place on four separate occasions, with two incidents occurring when the girl was 11 and the remaining two when she was 13.

Warrington Crown Court was informed of the profound and lasting impact these assaults had on the victim, who chose to speak out after years of silence. In her victim impact statement, she described how her confidence, once vibrant and outgoing during her early teenage years, was shattered by Chadwick’s actions. She explained, “When I was a young teenager I was a confident, outgoing, bubbly person and then when the defendant abused me I lost all that confidence. I felt dirty and ashamed and those feelings made me go into my shell.”

Chadwick’s conviction followed a trial during which the jury found him guilty of the charges. The court was told that his attacks appeared to be opportunistic, with no evidence of premeditation, grooming, or threats made to the girl. Defense lawyer Andrew Green argued that Chadwick’s actions lacked planning and that his children stood by him, implying a lack of malicious intent.

Judge Roger Dutton delivered the sentence, emphasizing the gravity of Chadwick’s misconduct. He stated, “She was a mere child who was taken sexual advantage of by you. She trusted you to behave properly in her company and on these four occasions you abused that trust for your own sexual purposes.”

As part of his sentence, Chadwick was also prohibited from working with children and was ordered to register as a sex offender. Warrington Police’s Detective Constable Helen Carter, who led the investigation, commented on the importance of addressing such cases. She said, “Victims in cases such as this should be heard and understood, and should not feel silenced because the offence happened some time ago. This is a chance for this victim to achieve some closure and begin to rebuild her life.”

The Warrington Police Public Protection Unit, a team of officers with specialized knowledge in handling sexual offence cases, underscored their commitment to justice. Officer Carter concluded, “This case highlights that sex offenders like Chadwick cannot evade justice simply because their victims are young and vulnerable when the offences occur.”