CHARLES WALKER FROM COATBRIDGE SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN NORTH LANARKSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Coatbridge and the surrounding areas, Charles Walker, a 65-year-old man from Mitchell Street, Kirkwood, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting to sexually assaulting a young girl with a learning impairment. The incident has left a lasting scar on the victim and has sparked outrage among her family and local residents.

Walker, who is a grandfather and father of five children, was found guilty of molesting the girl on two separate occasions. The assaults occurred between October 2014 and March of the following year, when the girl was just five and six years old. The young victim, who has autism, was reportedly helping to feed fish at the time of one of the incidents when Walker subjected her to his depraved actions. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Walker also exposed himself to the child, adding to the severity of his crimes.

The girl, now seven years old, has been deeply affected by the trauma inflicted upon her. Her mother described the ongoing emotional toll the assault has taken on her daughter, stating that she continues to suffer from nightmares and distress. The mother explained, “She is not coping with things very well; she has her good days but they are few and far between. She is a lot worse at night. I’ve had to hop into bed with her and talk to her as she still remembers a lot of what happened. She has autism, and remembering her experiences leads to her having frequent meltdowns. My husband and I have to sit with her for a while and talk to help calm her down.”

To help her daughter cope, the family has been taking her to dance classes and engaging in activities aimed at diverting her attention, but the emotional scars remain evident. The young girl confided in her mother that Walker had touched her inappropriately, which led to DNA evidence being recovered from her underwear, confirming her account.

The mother recounted the heartbreaking moment she learned of her daughter’s disclosure: “She came to me and told me what Walker had done, and then I told my husband. It was an almost impossible thing to hear. We were devastated. At first, she distanced herself from her dad, which made things even harder. The whole experience has been a nightmare. We felt a combination of rage, terrible sadness, and a fierce desire to protect our daughter.”

During the sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Judge Lord Brailsford acknowledged the gravity of the crimes but noted that Walker’s guilty plea prevented a more severe sentence. He stated that he would have sentenced Walker to two years in prison had it not been for his admission of guilt, which spared the victim from having to testify and avoided the costs associated with a trial. Despite this, the victim’s family expressed their dissatisfaction with the sentence, describing it as “lenient” and insufficient given the harm caused.

Following the sentencing, the victim’s mother expressed her outrage: “My husband and I were in court when the sentence was handed down, and we couldn’t believe our ears. We were dumbfounded and felt a mix of pure anger and shock. Eighteen months in jail is nowhere near enough as he has caused our little girl such heartache. We are determined to pursue every legal avenue to see Walker’s sentence increased because we fear the long-term impact this could have on her.”

Charles Walker’s case has brought to light the importance of protecting vulnerable children and the devastating effects of sexual abuse. The community continues to grapple with the aftermath of this heinous crime, and the family remains committed to seeking justice and ensuring that such acts are met with appropriate consequences.