The Newport Paedophile, David Tickner, a former assistant church organist and youth club worker on the Isle of Wight, has been incarcerated for child sexual abuse.
David Tickner, 61, of Cook Avenue, Newport, was convicted of child abuse on the Isle of Wight during the 1990s.
The victim, now an adult, reported the abuse to law enforcement on May 23, 2022.
During the period of the abuse, David Tickner served as the assistant organist at a church in Newport and further assisted in managing the church’s youth club.
Subsequent to a police inquiry, David Tickner was brought to trial at Salisbury Crown Court on July 22 to confront an allegation of indecent assault.
The incident transpired at a location in Newport between 1994 and 1996, during which the victim was aged 14 to 16.
The trial spanned four days, culminating in the jury’s verdict of guilty against David Tickner, who was subsequently remanded in custody.
He was present at Salisbury Crown Court on Friday, November 22, and received a sentence of six years in prison.
Detective Constable Julia Parker, who led the investigation, said: “David Tickner exploited the contact he had with this boy through his work in the church in order to sexually abuse him.
“The impact this had on this child, now a grown man, cannot be understated.
“This type of abuse leaves irreparable lifelong trauma. I commend the courage shown by the victim in this case for speaking out and reliving his childhood suffering to support this police investigation.”
She added that the police will not tolerate any form of child abuse and reassured victims that they will be listened to, supported and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated.
The police have encouraged anyone who has been affected by child sexual abuse to contact them on 101.
However, they recognise that not everyone may have the confidence to talk to the police about their experiences and reassured there are other services available that can offer specialist support.
Information and contact details relating to sexual abuse support services can be found on the Hampshire Police’s webpage.
Further information about how to report and seek support for child abuse is also available on the website.
Alternatively, victims can contact Child Line on 0800 1111.
Any adults who have been affected can call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 for support.
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.