IAN WILCE FROM KEIGHLEY AND NORTHWICH JAILED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN KEIGHLEY AND LEEDS

In a series of disturbing incidents spanning several years, Ian Wilce, a man with a troubling history, has been convicted and sentenced for sexual offenses committed in different locations, including Keighley, Northwich, and Leeds.

In June 2016, Wilce, aged 55, was sentenced to six months in prison after being found guilty in his absence of sexually assaulting a female care worker in his vehicle. The assault occurred on January 14, when Wilce failed to fulfill his promise to drop the woman off at Keighley bus station. Instead, he subjected her to a ten-minute ordeal of fear and discomfort, during which he rubbed her thigh and repeatedly kissed her hand.

The court proceedings revealed that Wilce had a prior conviction for a sexual offense involving a teenage boy in 2009. At that time, he was working as a train conductor and received a suspended sentence for indecently touching the teenager on a train. This history added weight to the seriousness of his recent actions.

During the hearing at Bradford Crown Court, prosecutor Sophie Drake detailed how Wilce's recent misconduct was triggered after he expressed an attraction toward the woman. He sought her phone number and even invited her for a drink. When she accepted a lift to the bus station, she repeatedly asked to exit the vehicle, but Wilce did not comply immediately. Eventually, when he parked outside a house, the woman seized the opportunity to escape and fled the car.

Wilce, who was formerly based in Keighley but had moved to Hayes Drive, Barnton, Northwich, Cheshire, had been held in custody for nine weeks prior to sentencing. His defense lawyer, John Bottomley, argued that Wilce was on disability benefits and that his wife, who was present in court, was supporting him through his health struggles.

Judge Robert Bartfield addressed Wilce directly, condemning his behavior. He stated, “Wilce had taken a fancy to the woman, touched her on the thigh over her clothing, and kept her confined in his car. You must learn to control yourself when you feel like this.” As part of his sentence, Wilce was issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prohibits him from contacting his victim. Additionally, he is required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.

Earlier, in July 2009, Wilce was involved in another serious incident. As a married train conductor, he sexually assaulted a teenage boy on a train traveling from Leeds to Guiseley. Wilce, then 49, denied the allegations but was convicted after a trial at Leeds Crown Court. Judge Sally Cahill QC sentenced him to nine months in prison, suspended for two years.

The court heard that the incident took place on the early morning of January 16, when Wilce, the only passenger on the train, approached the boy after checking his ticket. Wilce made inappropriate comments, saying, “You’re a nice looking lad,” and then assaulted the boy twice. When the boy attempted to leave at Guiseley Station, Wilce asked for his mobile phone number, which the boy gave out of panic as the train doors were about to open. The victim promptly reported the assault to station staff.

Following the incident, Wilce was found to have been repeatedly calling the boy’s mobile phone. His employer suspended him, and he faced the potential loss of his job, which he reportedly loved. Wilce’s wife was present in court to support him during sentencing. Judge Cahill emphasized the abuse of authority inherent in Wilce’s position as a train guard, stating, “You were in a position of authority that morning, and for the victim, it must have been a terrifying and unpleasant experience.”

Wilce was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid community service and adhere to a curfew from 8 pm to 7 am for six months. His name will also be entered onto the Sex Offender Register for ten years, marking a significant consequence for his actions.