IAN LOVE FROM DEEPLISH SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF GIRLS IN BOLTON

In a case that has shocked the local community of Deeplish and the wider Bolton area, Ian Thomas Love, aged 52, was sentenced to nine years in prison for a series of serious sexual offences committed against two young girls during the 1990s. Love, who resides on Pomona Street in Deeplish, was found guilty by a jury at Bolton Crown Court of 17 counts of indecent assault, with all charges relating to incidents that occurred over two decades ago.

During the trial, it was revealed that Love had systematically groomed his victims, manipulating their perceptions to make them believe that the abusive acts were normal. The court heard that Love began abusing one of the girls at a very young age, exploiting her innocence over a prolonged period. The presiding judge, Recorder Mark Ainsworth, expressed his condemnation of Love’s actions, stating, “You abused your first victim from such an early age and so often for a number of years, she didn’t realise that what you were doing was so wrong. No doubt that was your intent — to groom her so that she thought what you were doing was perfectly normal.”

One of the victims provided an emotional impact statement, revealing the lasting damage caused by Love’s abuse. She said, “I no longer trust anyone at face value. My relationship with my mum has been affected; she feels that she let me down and failed to protect me.” This statement underscores the profound and enduring psychological scars inflicted by Love’s actions.

It was also disclosed that Love had previously received a police caution in the 1990s after admitting to touching another young girl. His defense lawyer, Anthony Morris, described this confession as a “cry for help,” suggesting that Love had some conscience at the time. However, despite this warning, Love continued his abusive behavior, targeting a second girl after the initial victim.

Regarding the abuse of the second girl, Recorder Ainsworth highlighted a disturbing incident where Love’s attempt to manipulate her continued even as she threatened to tell her mother. The judge recounted, “At some point in a desperate attempt to get you to stop she said ‘I’ll tell my mum’ and you replied ‘she already knows.’ That was referred to as playing mind games and that’s exactly what it was.”

The second victim also delivered a heartfelt statement, describing her feelings of helplessness and shame. She explained, “When I was a child and being abused I knew what was happening to me was wrong, but I didn’t feel I could tell anybody. I thought if my mum knew then maybe it was all right. I hated what was happening to me, I used to cry myself to sleep.”

In mitigation, the defense argued that Love no longer posed a threat to young girls, citing that his last offence was committed over ten years ago. Morris stated, “The defendant has had the opportunity to continue in his lifestyle as before, but he has reserved his behaviour. He has now changed from being that outgoing character to keeping himself to himself.”

However, Recorder Ainsworth dismissed this argument, emphasizing the lasting harm caused by Love’s actions. He remarked, “This conduct wrecks lives. The sentence will not be reduced or discounted to reflect events that took place years ago. It was always open to Love, had he wanted those matters dealt with before, to come forward and admit them. I have to bear in mind the harm that he has done to these two women.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Love was subjected to a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which prohibits him from having un-supervised contact with any female under the age of 16. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and restrictions to protect potential future victims.