WILLIAM THOMPSON'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE CASE IN STOCKTON REVEALED

In a case that has spanned decades, William Thompson, a resident of Stockton, has been brought to justice after nearly 40 years of avoiding detection for his past crimes. The allegations against him resurfaced when his former victim, now an adult, finally decided to come forward and report the abuse, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial.

William Thompson, who is now 68 years old, was convicted of multiple charges related to child abuse. Specifically, he was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency. The trial took place at Teesside Crown Court, where the victim was compelled to relive her traumatic experience in front of the jury. She recounted how Thompson, during the mid-1970s, had subjected her to repeated abuse when she was a young girl. Although she was unable to specify the exact duration of the abuse, her testimony was powerful and detailed enough to establish a pattern of misconduct.

Throughout the proceedings, Thompson maintained his innocence, denying all allegations. His defense, led by Richard Herrmann, argued that the misconduct occurred when Thompson was in his twenties and emphasized that there had been no further offenses since then. Herrmann pointed out that the offending behavior had ceased when Thompson was approximately 27 years old and suggested that the incidents were out of character, especially considering the difficult period Thompson experienced in the 1970s following an injury.

In his mitigation, Herrmann presented a collection of character references from individuals who knew Thompson personally, describing him as a person of good standing and urging the court to show mercy. He also contested the imposition of a sexual offences prevention order, claiming that the criteria for such an order had not been met and that the allegations were unfounded.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, addressed Thompson directly, residing on Northport Road in Stockton. He expressed disappointment that Thompson continued to deny the allegations, stating, “It does you no credit you still dispute this.” The judge highlighted the fact that none of the people who had written letters in Thompson’s favor could explain his behavior in the early 1970s. The judge described how Thompson exploited the absence of his wife to lure a young girl into his home, where he committed the assaults. Despite the severity of the accusations, the judge acknowledged that there was a significant gap in time since the offenses and noted that Thompson had not committed any further crimes since then.

Ultimately, Thompson was sentenced to 18 months in prison, marking a significant moment of justice for the victim and a reminder of the importance of addressing past abuses, regardless of how much time has passed.