WILFRED ALDRED OF BIRKENHEAD ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE SEXUAL ABUSE OF TWO YOUNG GIRLS IN MERSEYSIDE

In a case that has shocked the local community of Birkenhead and the wider Merseyside area, Wilfred Aldred, a 91-year-old man, narrowly avoided imprisonment after admitting to serious sexual offenses committed against two young girls. The offences, which involved acts of inciting children to engage in gross acts of indecency, date back several decades but only came to light recently, leading to Aldred's appearance at Liverpool Crown Court.

Prosecutor Zilla Williams outlined that Aldred had engaged in these reprehensible acts against two girls, both under the age of 10, in various locations including a park and his own residence. The court was informed that Aldred, who resides on Newhey Road in Birkenhead, was initially scheduled to stand trial earlier in the month. However, he chose to plead guilty at the last minute, avoiding a lengthy court process.

During the hearing, Aldred’s defense lawyer, Trevor Parry Jones, made a plea for leniency, emphasizing the defendant’s advanced age and health issues. Jones argued that if Aldred were younger, perhaps in his seventies or sixties, custody would be almost unavoidable. He described Aldred as a widower in his later years, suggesting that imprisonment would likely lead to rapid physical and mental deterioration, possibly resulting in his death.

Judge Mark Brown, presiding over the case, remarked that Aldred was probably the oldest individual to have appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court. Dressed in dark glasses and wearing a Remembrance Day poppy, Aldred listened as the judge addressed him directly. Judge Brown condemned the offences as “dreadful and wicked,” and acknowledged that if Aldred had been younger, the outcome might have been different.

He stated, “You have pleaded guilty to committing dreadful and wicked offences upon these two victims. If you were a younger man, and by that I mean if you were aged in your seventies, then today’s outcome would have been very different.” The judge also recognized the public’s expectation that offenders of this nature should face imprisonment, and that the victims would likely seek justice through incarceration.

However, considering Aldred’s advanced age and poor health, Judge Brown expressed serious concerns about the feasibility and safety of sending him to prison. He explained that incarceration could lead to a swift decline in his health, possibly with fatal consequences. “If you were to go to prison you would find it very difficult to cope. There is very likely to be a quick degeneration and there could be a very significant adverse effect upon you,” the judge said.

Ultimately, Aldred was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. The judge emphasized that his age was the only factor that prevented a custodial sentence. He described the offences as “despicable” and expressed hope that Aldred would regret his actions deeply. Concluding the hearing, Judge Brown stated, “I very much hope to never see you again,” underscoring the gravity of the crimes and the rarity of such an elderly defendant appearing in court for such offences.