GARY WOODHOUSE

MIDDLESBROUGH MAN JAILED FOR DECADES-OLD CHILD ABUSE CHARGES

A child abuse victim kept his ordeal secret for two decades – until he was arrested for drink-driving and disclosed his experience to police.The perpetrator, Gary Woodhouse, aged 45, of Spencerfield Crescent, Middlesbrough, was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment at Teesside Crown Court.

He admitted to eight specimen charges of indecent assault committed between 1983 and 1990.The court proceedings revealed that the victim, who had an accident while intoxicated last January, confided in the police about the abuse he endured as a young boy.

He subsequently informed his mother but only officially filed a formal complaint last June.During the police interview, Woodhouse responded with minimal replies but confirmed the allegations when asked.

Prosecutor Ian West stated, “On a couple of occasions, he seemed unable to resist making admissions.”Defense counsel Andrew Turton asserted that Woodhouse also claims to have been abused in his youth and that police are now investigating this claim.

Turton emphasized, “We have a case where the abused became the abuser,” and that Woodhouse remains deeply remorseful, attributing his actions to his own past abuse.

He added, “He can’t fully explain his conduct to this day.”The judge ordered Woodhouse to register as a sex offender indefinitely but chose not to impose a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, citing his lack of recent similar offenses and concluding he does not pose a danger.