Man jailed for historic sexual abuse in Northwich
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A man from Northwich has been jailed after he was found guilty of grooming and sexually abusing a young boy in the town in the early 1990s.
Trevor Leach appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday 15 August, where he was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
The 65-year-old, of Verdin Avenue, Northwich was previously found guilty by a unanimous verdict of 19 counts of gross indecency following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
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During the trial the court heard Leach groomed and sexually abused the victim between 1992 and 1996, starting when the boy was just 12 years old.
The pair initially met while Leach was working at the former Elf garage, which was located opposite Hartford High School.
The victim recalled how Leach would regularly take him out in his car and back to his home in Winnington, where he would sexually abuse him.
Leach also took the victim to a picnic area in Hartford where he sexually abused him in front of other men. He also recalled seeing other young boys being abused at Leach’s home.
The victim initially chose not to report the incidents to police. However, in 2022 they had a chance encounter with Leach which triggered a number of memories and led them to report the allegations.
Following the reports an investigation was launched by detectives and Leach was questioned in relation to the allegations. Leach admitted that he knew the victim but denied any wrongdoing.
Despite his denial, he was later charged in relation to the allegations.
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Kelly Mankee, who led the investigation, said:
“Leach is a sexual predator, and I welcome the sentence that has been handed to him, which reflects the severity of his despicable behaviour.
“It was apparent throughout the investigation that Leach had preyed on a vulnerable young schoolboy, grooming him and manipulating him in order to fulfil his own sexual gratification.
“He convinced the boy that they were in a loving relationship and what they were doing was normal, when in reality Leach was well aware that what he was doing was wrong.
“His actions have had a lasting impact on the victim, and I would like to praise him for the courage and bravery that he has shown throughout the investigation and subsequent trial.
“Having to relive his ordeals in court was not easy, but thanks to the strength of his evidence, Leach had now been held accountable for his actions.
“As this case shows, we treat all reports of non-recent sexual offences seriously, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority, and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated.
“Anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse – no matter how long ago the incident took place – is urged to come forward and report it to Cheshire Police on 101 or through our website.”