The Sandbach and Middlewich Paedophiles, Alan Townley and Patricia Jones, have been incarcerated in connection with the sexual abuse of a child in Middlewich.
Alan Townley, residing on Elton Road in Sandbach, and Patricia Jones, residing on Glastonbury Drive in Middlewich, both appeared before Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, October 1.
Alan Townley, 61, received a 17-year jail term along with a further eight years on extended licence after being convicted of 12 charges, which include the rape of a child under 13, sexual assault of a child under 13, inducing a child under 13 to participate in sexual conduct, and actual bodily injury.
Patricia Jones, 58, only received a three-year prison sentence for her role in aiding the offences, even though without her Alan Townley would never have had access to the child.
The court heard how at the time the offences occurred, between 2010 and 2012, Alan Townley and Patricia Jones were in a relationship together.
Patricia Jones was aware that Alan Townley was a convicted sex offender, yet she facilitated Alan Townley’s access to the victim, enabling the offences to take place.
During the trial the court heard how Alan Townley flirted with the nine-year-old girl, buying them flowers and touching her inappropriately.
His behaviour quickly escalated, and he went on to rape and sexually assault the girl on multiple occasions. When the victim tried to stop him, Alan Townley would hit her.
The only came to light in 2020 when the victim spoke out about what they had endured.
Both Alan Townley and Patricia Jones were subsequently arrested and charged in relation to the offences.
Following the sentencings, Detective Constable Stacey Thompson, who led the investigation, said:
“Firstly, I would like to commend the bravery of the victim in this case, who not only came forward to report what had happened to them, but also endured the process of a trial after Alan Townley refused to take accountability for his horrifying actions.
“What Alan Townley subjected them to is truly horrifying, systematically abusing them in order to fulfil his own sexual gratification.
“What makes this case worse, is the fact that Patricia Jones knowingly allowed Alan Townley to have access to the victim, despite being well aware that he was a convicted sex offender. Putting her relationship above the safety and welfare of a vulnerable child.
“The sentences handed to Alan Townley and Patricia Jones reflect the severity of their crime and I hope that his conviction will encourage other victims to come forward.
“As this case demonstrates, we treat all reports of historic sexual offences seriously, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority, and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.