WILLIAM LANDY OF BASINGSTOKE JAILED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A CHILD IN WINCHESTER

A man from Basingstoke has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl. William Landy, aged 49, was visibly emotional as he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison, crying from the dock at Winchester Crown Court.

Landy, formerly of Quilter Road, was convicted by a jury following a trial held this week. The court heard that he assaulted the child by penetration and engaged in sexual touching. It was revealed that Landy initially gained access to the victim by earning her family's trust, then abused her on a single occasion after consuming alcohol.

In a victim impact statement, the girl described how the incident changed her life, saying it made her feel like "the whole incident changed her whole life." Judge Jane Miller QC noted that the girl said, "she stopped being a happy person and she withdrew into a hole."

The abuse was only disclosed in 2018 when the victim confided in her family, having previously remained silent because she "didn’t think she would be believed," partly due to her behavior at the time.

The court was also told that in the weeks after the assault, Landy contacted social services claiming that the victim had exposed herself to him.

During sentencing on Friday, Judge Miller commented, "You were trying to get your story in first," and added, "She clearly found the run-up to the hearing very difficult, having to watch her video interview again. You saw in court having her account challenged was upsetting for her."

In mitigation, Robin Sellers representing Landy explained that his client suffers from several health issues, including complications from a previous liver transplant and a tendency to fall. Landy also has type two diabetes, which he has managed for the past decade, and suffers from advanced peripheral neuropathy caused by nerve damage outside the brain and spinal cord.

Mr. Sellers further stated, "In 2019 there was an overdose that required hospitalisation. He expressed this morning that he is not minded to take his medication." He added, "The conditions in prison due to the current pandemic will be extremely difficult for this defendant given his medical difficulties."

Judge Miller sentenced Landy to four and a half years in prison, with an additional year spent on license afterward.