ARTHUR BAWDEN AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ABUSE IN HOLSWORTHY

A 74-year-old man named Arthur Bawden has been sentenced to a decade in prison after being found guilty of historic sexual abuse involving a young girl and a boy during visits to a farm in Devon. The case, which has spanned several years and multiple trials, uncovered disturbing details of Bawden’s misconduct on his property in Holsworthy.

The abuse against the girl reportedly began when she was just a child, with Bawden taking advantage of opportunities to isolate her in various locations on the farm, including the farmhouse, barns, and the milking parlour. Over a period of years during the 1970s, he continued to assault her, exploiting her innocence and lack of understanding about what was happening. The young girl was so unaware of the wrongfulness of his actions that she did not realize she was being abused. As she grew older and learned more about sex, she felt too frightened and ashamed to disclose what had happened.

Bawden initially claimed that he had only touched the girl once, when she was 16 years old, during a farm visit when she was on school holidays and sleeping in the kitchen. However, evidence presented during the trial painted a much darker picture. It was revealed that he had also sexually abused a young boy who was visiting the farm around the same time. Bawden admitted to taking the boy away from the main farmhouse under the pretense of work, during which he sexually assaulted him.

The legal proceedings began with Bawden being sentenced in 2017 at Exeter Crown Court to 15 years in prison for the abuse of the girl. However, this verdict was later overturned by the Court of Appeal, which ordered a retrial. Bawden was released from prison last year but was subsequently retried and found guilty of many of the original allegations last month by a different jury.

In the course of the legal process, Bawden was acquitted of two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault against the girl during the first trial. Additionally, he was found not guilty of eight other counts of indecency at the recent retrial. Despite these acquittals, the jury convicted him of 11 counts of indecent assault or indecency against the girl and one count of indecent assault on the boy.

During sentencing, Bawden admitted to one instance of indecently assaulting the girl, claiming it occurred after she turned 16. The judge, Judge David Evans, described the severity and duration of the abuse, stating, “The indecent assaults started with touching the girl when she was seven or eight and continued until she was between 13 and 15. By that time, you had to be more forcible to commit the offence because she had grown older and became more resistant.”

The judge emphasized the lasting impact of the abuse, noting that both victims have been affected throughout their childhood, into adulthood, and up to the present day. He also criticized Bawden’s attitude, pointing out that he attempted to undermine the female victim’s character, which demonstrated a lack of genuine remorse and an inability to grasp the full extent of the harm caused. During his evidence, Bawden made a disturbing comment, suggesting that the girl was “making a meal of it” regarding the one offence he admitted.

The victims provided emotional testimony during the trials. The girl, now an adult, recounted how Bawden began abusing her during farm visits, often bribing her with money and sweets before assaulting her in various farm buildings. The young boy described his love for visiting the farm but revealed that he was sexually assaulted when Bawden took him away from the main farm to work in more secluded areas.

Bawden defended himself by claiming he was too busy managing the 90-acre farm with his father, Reg, to have had time for abuse. He insisted he was never left alone with the girl when she was young. His defense also highlighted his previously blameless life and his contributions to the community, including donating land for a new village hall.

Despite his claims of innocence and his health issues, including arthritis, Bawden was sentenced to 10 years and four months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life. The judge’s remarks underscored the gravity of his crimes and the profound, ongoing effects on his victims, emphasizing the importance of justice in cases of such serious abuse.