JOHN MCCALL AND PHILIP O’CONNELL SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC SEXUAL ABUSE IN BOOTLE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bootle, two men, John McCall and Philip O’Connell, have been sentenced to indefinite imprisonment for their heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young girls. The offences, which took place over several years, involved repeated assaults on two girls aged between seven and 11, with both offenders being distantly related to each other.

According to court proceedings, John McCall, aged 35, and Philip O’Connell, aged 32, subjected the young victims to a series of horrific sexual attacks. The court heard that McCall had also attacked another young girl during a three-month period, adding to the gravity of his crimes. The victims, who were friends, sometimes found themselves at McCall’s residence on Wadham Road in Bootle simultaneously, which facilitated the abuse.

Prosecutor Janet Reaney detailed the extent of the abuse, revealing that one of the girls was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital at the age of 10, where she was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease, a clear indication of the severity of the assaults she endured. The court was told that the abuse was not only a betrayal of trust but also involved the use of physical dominance and sadistic tactics to subdue the victims.

Judge Robert Warnock, presiding over the case at Liverpool Crown Court, condemned the actions of both men. He emphasized that the crimes were committed against vulnerable children and involved a gross abuse of power. The judge sentenced both McCall and O’Connell to serve time for public protection, with McCall receiving a minimum term of seven years and two months, and O’Connell a minimum of eight and a half years.

During the trial, O’Connell, of Daniel Close, Bootle, denied six charges of child cruelty and six counts of rape. Despite his denial, a jury found him guilty of all charges. The court heard that O’Connell had physically assaulted the girl, punching her and holding her head underwater, acts described by the judge as sadistic and designed to intimidate her into submission for further sexual abuse.

Judge Warnock expressed his admiration for the resilience of the young girl, describing her as “simply remarkable” and extending his best wishes to her. Meanwhile, McCall, of Wadham Road, Bootle, admitted to six counts of rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual acts, and six counts of sexual assault. The sentencing reflects the seriousness of their crimes and the community’s need for justice and protection for its most vulnerable members.