WAYNE MCNAMEE'S SENTENCE SPARKS OUTRAGE IN WORCESTER OVER CHILD SEX OFFENSE

In January 2011, a significant backlash arose following the sentencing of Wayne McNamee, a 20-year-old child sex offender residing in St John’s, Worcester. McNamee admitted to the sexual enticement of a minor and was given a two-year community order by Hereford Crown Court, alongside a requirement to register as a sex offender for five years.

The mother of the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, expressed her disapproval, stating, “This sentence is more like counselling and therapy sessions for two years. It’s not even like cleaning graffiti off a bus stop. It just belittled and trivialised what happened. It has been a nightmare.”

Her daughter, who was 12 at the time of the offenses, was targeted after her family had known McNamee for several years. According to her mother, “He began sending her sexually explicit text messages, and pleaded guilty on the basis he would not have sex with her until she was 16.” She added, “Basically, he groomed her. Naturally, she felt flattered that this man was paying her attention. She thought it was good to have a boyfriend of that age.”

The discovery came when the mother found a text message, which she reported to police. It then took six months for her daughter to fully comprehend the gravity of what had transpired. “He had months to brainwash her,” her mother explained. “Everything he told her, like that he would get into trouble, happened. She believed him for a long time and thought we were in the wrong.”

The mother reflected on her feelings, saying, “It’s an awful mixture of feelings. There’s guilt because I did not see it before. He used to chat to me. He was very clever and manipulative.” Despite the fact that no sexual act occurred, her mother admitted, “You feel like a failure. We thought we had behaved responsibly with our children. We never let them roam outdoors, gave them mobile phones for contact, always picked them up, and let them use the internet for homework.”

The aftermath of the incident has impacted the family profoundly. The victim’s father has faced two serious health issues with permanent effects, while the girl herself has struggled academically, required counseling, and visited the hospital for stress-related ailments. Nevertheless, her mother’s primary concern remains the horror of the crime itself. “Twelve is still a child — and she was my child,” she emphasized.

McNamee is also subject to a restraining order that prevents him from contacting the victim.