ALCESTER MAN BERNARD BAILEY SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF TEENAGE GIRL IN MID-90S

In a case that has spanned decades, Bernard Bailey, a 60-year-old resident of Meadow Road in Alcester, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for sexually abusing a girl who was just 15 years old at the time of the incidents. The court also ordered Bailey to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life, marking a significant legal consequence for his actions.

Bailey had previously pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to four counts of indecent assault and one charge of unlawful intercourse. The charges stem from a series of disturbing events that took place in the mid-1990s, involving a girl who also lived in Alcester. Prosecutor Iain Willis detailed the nature of the abuse, revealing that Bailey initially engaged in inappropriate touching by placing his hands on the girl’s breasts over her clothing when she was 15. As the abuse continued, it escalated to more invasive acts, including Bailey touching her under her clothing in a more intimate manner, and at times, forcing her to touch him.

The court heard that on one particularly egregious occasion, Bailey engaged in full intercourse with the girl, using a condom. The abuse was abruptly interrupted when the girl’s mother unexpectedly entered the room where Bailey and her daughter were alone. Although no sexual activity was ongoing at that moment, the mother observed Bailey’s apparent arousal and quickly intervened, grabbing him and pushing him out of the room. This incident marked a turning point, but the emotional scars inflicted on the girl persisted.

Prosecutor Willis emphasized that the girl, who is now in her 30s, was deeply affected by Bailey’s actions. She did not disclose the abuse immediately but confided in her future husband years later. It was only in 2010, after seeking counselling, that she felt compelled to report the abuse to the police. In her impact statement read to the court, she described how the trauma has affected her adult life, revealing that she struggles with physical affection, such as being hugged, and experiences severe mood swings as a result of her past.

During the sentencing, Judge Richard Griffith-Jones acknowledged the tragic circumstances surrounding Bailey’s life, noting that Bailey’s son had died in 1991. The judge remarked, “I accept there was a terrible tragedy, and he was at particularly low ebb when this was going on. If you are at a low ebb, it may be more difficult to resist an illicit impulse; it is no explanation for that impulse.”

Bailey’s defense attorney, Shaun Logan, described the incident as bizarrely motivated and linked to a difficult period in Bailey’s life, emphasizing that no threats or force were used during the abuse. However, Judge Griffith-Jones was clear in his condemnation, stating, “This is a very distressing day for you, but it does not compare with the distress you inflicted on this wholly blameless girl. It was a terrible thing to do. It has done her enormous damage; something she cannot forget, and now in her 30s she is having counselling.”

Bailey’s sentencing underscores the long-lasting impact of his actions on the victim and highlights the importance of justice in cases of sexual abuse, especially those that span many years and leave deep emotional scars.