ANTHONY MARSHALL FROM WALTON SLAMMED IN COURT OVER CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN CUMBRIA

In a recent court hearing held in Cumbria, the case of Anthony Marshall, a convicted sex offender from Walton, drew significant attention due to the contentious nature of a probation report and the subsequent reactions from the judiciary and probation authorities.

Anthony Marshall, a 63-year-old man with a troubling criminal history, was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison after a victim came forward to reveal the extent of his sexual abuse. The victim, who was just eight years old when the abuse began, recounted years of suffering at the hands of Marshall, who was a private piano teacher during the period of the offenses. The court heard that Marshall had subjected his young victim to multiple acts of sexual assault, including three indecent assaults and three acts of gross indecency involving a child under 16. Marshall admitted to these offenses, which further compounded his criminal record.

During the proceedings, the focus was also on a report prepared by Clare Doggart, a probation officer involved in assessing Marshall’s case. The report, which was notably negative, suggested that Marshall harbored intentions to leave the United Kingdom in order to circumvent restrictions that prevented him from working with children. This particular comment drew criticism from the presiding judge, Alan Taylor, who expressed his disapproval of the report’s tone and content. Judge Taylor stated that he was “absolutely shocked” by the report, which he felt was heavily biased against Marshall. He pointed out that the report appeared to assume guilt beyond what was supported by verified evidence, including unfounded allegations of other offenses.

Marshall’s defense team, led by Tim Evans, voiced strong objections to the report, arguing that it painted an unfair picture of their client. Evans highlighted that the report contained comments about Marshall’s desire to move abroad, which he claimed was an inference without proper basis and was upsetting to Marshall. The defense emphasized that Marshall had no interest in reoffending, especially considering the long history of abuse, which included offenses against multiple victims over the years.

In response, Chief Probation Officer Mike Maiden defended the integrity of the assessment process. He explained that the Probation Service employs internationally recognized methods to evaluate offenders, relying on verified information and thorough checks by multiple staff members. Maiden insisted that all proper procedures had been followed in preparing the report and expressed regret that the court was not persuaded by their findings.

Judge Taylor also criticized the probation report for its apparent bias, noting that it seemed to assume Marshall’s guilt of other unspecified offenses, which he found to be improper. The judge remarked that he had encountered many reports in sex offense cases but had never seen one as skewed as this. Despite the controversy surrounding the report, the court proceeded with the sentencing, and Marshall was given a prison term of three years in 2000 for similar offenses involving four other boys.

Marshall’s criminal history is extensive, with previous convictions for sexual offenses, and his latest crimes further illustrate a pattern of predatory behavior. During the hearing, Marshall expressed remorse, stating that he felt ashamed of his actions. However, he also made a disturbing threat, vowing to have a young girl’s fingers bitten off after she observed him acting suspiciously through a keyhole, highlighting the ongoing danger he poses to the community in Walton and beyond.