FREDRICK GOUDY PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN AWLISCOMBE AND READING

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Awliscombe, Reading, and Southcote, Fredrick Goudy, a former care worker, has been sentenced to prison for multiple counts of sexual assault involving young girls under his care. The incidents, which spanned over several years, have uncovered a disturbing pattern of abuse committed by Goudy, who was known locally by the nickname ‘Pervy Fred’ due to his predatory behavior.

Goudy, aged 52 at the time of sentencing, was convicted of five counts of sexual assault on children under the age of 16 after a two-week trial at Reading Crown Court. The court heard harrowing testimonies from three female victims, now aged between 25 and 33, who recounted their traumatic experiences. One of the victims, now 31, bravely revealed that Goudy had molested her in 1982 at a family area of an Army barracks in Wiltshire when she was just five years old. She only decided to speak out after discovering that Goudy had attempted to contact her younger sister, aged 27, prompting her to report the incident to police in August 2006.

Following her report, the police’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit launched a comprehensive investigation that uncovered additional allegations of sexual misconduct by Goudy. Over the subsequent months, more women, all of whom had been under his care at various points, came forward with accounts of abuse. These revelations led to Goudy’s arrest in May 2007, when he faced 11 counts of sexual assault involving children aged 12 to 16.

Goudy’s history includes a lengthy residence in Southcote, where he lived on Shepley Drive for over 20 years before relocating to Awliscombe near Honiton, Devon, in 2006. His employment history at a children’s home was marred by allegations of inappropriate conduct, which resulted in his dismissal in 1994. It was reported that he allowed a child to sit on his knee in the TV room, an incident that raised concerns about his behavior.

During the trial, prosecutor Alan Blake detailed the accounts of the victims, describing how Goudy engaged in inappropriate acts, including attempts to justify his actions. One particularly disturbing claim involved Goudy trying to excuse groping a girl aged between 10 and 14 by claiming he was “measuring her for a new school blouse.” The court also heard that Goudy would sometimes give cigarettes to teenagers at the children’s home and take them on car rides, during which he would inappropriately touch them. Goudy denied these allegations, asserting that the accusations could have happened to anyone and denying any direct contact with the victims.

Goudy’s defense argued that the offenses were opportunistic, brief, and of a lower severity, emphasizing that no incidents had occurred in the last 14 years. His lawyer, Alexis Durran, stated that the touching was always over clothing and of a less serious nature, suggesting that there was no sinister intent behind his actions. Despite these arguments, Judge Gordon Risius was unpersuaded, sentencing Goudy to a total of 30 months in prison—18 months for some offenses and an additional 12 months for others, to be served consecutively.

In addition to his prison sentence, Goudy was disqualified from working with children and has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for the next decade. The court’s decision underscores the gravity of breaches of trust committed by individuals entrusted with the care of vulnerable children, and it serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding measures in such environments.