HAROLD LORD FROM BOURNEMOUTH AND PADIHAM SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON YOUNG GIRL

In March 2010, Harold Lord, a 74-year-old man with connections to both Bournemouth and Padiham, was sentenced to a 12-month jail term after being convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl. The court heard that Lord, a widower, had committed these offenses when the girl was only six and seven years old, during the time they both resided in Padiham. The case revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse, which was kept secret for some time due to threats and manipulation by Lord.

According to court records, Lord had twice fondled the young girl and had shown her a “sex book,” an act that deeply traumatized the victim. After the initial assault, Lord warned the girl not to disclose what had happened, and she obeyed his command at the time. However, approximately a year later, the girl’s distress became evident when she left a note on her mother’s pillow, explicitly revealing the abuse she had suffered at Lord’s hands. This revelation prompted her mother to take immediate action, leading to the involvement of the police.

The court was informed that the victim was profoundly affected by the abuse. She became withdrawn, refused to hear Lord’s name mentioned, and developed behavioral issues such as bedwetting and increased clinginess. She also internalized blame for what had happened, which compounded her emotional suffering. The court heard that Lord, who had since moved to Tuckton Road in Bournemouth, admitted to two charges of sexual assault on a girl under the age of 13.

Judge Beverley Lunt addressed Lord directly during the sentencing, condemning his actions as cruel and damaging. She emphasized that Lord’s threats had effectively silenced the victim, allowing the abuse to continue unnoticed for a period of time. The judge stated, “You threatened her not to tell anybody or else and it worked,” highlighting the manipulative nature of Lord’s conduct.

As part of his sentence, Lord was placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years, a ban from working with children for life, and was subjected to a sexual offences prevention order. This order explicitly prohibited him from associating with minors under the age of 16, aiming to prevent any future harm.

The prosecution, led by Richard Littler, recounted that in June of the previous year, the victim’s mother discovered a note from her daughter on her pillow, revealing that Lord had touched her inappropriately. This discovery prompted the mother to confront Lord directly, and she subsequently contacted the police with the assistance of school staff. Lord was arrested shortly thereafter.

During the court proceedings, Andrew Nuttall, representing Lord, argued that the offenses were aberrations and that Lord’s risk of reoffending was relatively low. Nuttall explained that Lord had experienced a very happy marriage, and the death of his wife had profoundly affected him. He described Lord as being confused, frightened about life without his wife, and increasingly isolated. The barrister suggested that Lord may have been seeking human contact and emotional connection, albeit in an entirely inappropriate manner, driven by a moment of weakness and a desire for affection that he had previously found in his marriage.