Man jailed for sexually abusing a child in Warrington

A man who sexually assaulted a child in Warrington for several years has been jailed.

Andrew Bate, 41, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday 19 July where he was sentenced to 21 years in prison plus an additional five years on extended licence.

The 41-year-old, of Libson Close, Warrington, had earlier been found guilty of 16 sexual offences against a child.

The offences included rape, sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity with a child and sexual touching.

During the trial, the victim told the court how the offences developed over a number of years, initially beginning when they were forced to watch pornographic videos at the age of eight.

Over the next six years Bate’s abuse escalated further, as he began to rape and sexually assault the child on multiple occasions.

The victim described how they pretended to sleep to stop him from abusing them, but no matter what they did his offending continued.

Bate’s offending eventually came to light in January 2023 when the victim sought the courage to report the matter to Cheshire Police.

Following the report, Bate's was subsequently arrested by detectives from Warrington CID. During questioning he denied all of the allegations against him.

Despite his denials, he was convicted of all the offences following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court which concluded on Thursday 21 May.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Maurizio Lucchesi who led the investigation said:

“Firstly, I want to praise the victim for the courage that they have shown throughout this investigation.

“Bate is clearly a sexual predator, whose only interest is to fulfil his own sexual gratification. He showed no regard for the victim and even when faced with all the evidence against him, he refused to plead guilty to any of the charges against.

“Instead, he forced his victim to relive their experiences in court, which could not have been easy for them.

“Thankfully, as a result of the bravery of the victim, and the evidence we gathered, the jury have seen through his lies, and he is now being held accountable for his actions.

“I hope that the sentence handed to Bates will provide the victim with some closure and allow them to move forward with their lives, knowing that he will never be able do the same to any other children.”

In addition to the custodial sentence Bate’s was ordered to sign the sexual offenders’ register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Detective Constable Lucchesi added:

 “Nobody should have to experience what the victim has been though and if anything can come from this case, I hope that it encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report them to us.

“Cheshire Constabulary takes any allegation of sexual offences extremely seriously, and any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority.

“Victims should never feel ashamed to talk about what they have been subjected to. They will receive the help and support they need from our specialist officers, as well as from other support agencies we work alongside, and all victims of sexual offences have the right to anonymity.”

To report any sexual offence, call Cheshire Constabulary on 101 or visit https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/%20 .

In an emergency always call 999. Information can also be given anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.