JOSEPH HANCOCK FROM BREIGHTMET SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN BOLTON AND RED LANE

In a series of disturbing criminal cases spanning several decades, Joseph Hancock, a resident of Breightmet, has been convicted of multiple serious offenses involving the sexual abuse of young children. His criminal history includes both rape and indecent assault, with the latest sentencing adding further years to his imprisonment.

In February 2018, Hancock, then 81 years old, was sentenced to an additional six months in prison after admitting to indecently assaulting a seven-year-old girl. The assault took place in the early 1980s, when the victim was befriended by Hancock and fell asleep in his flat located on Aldercroft Avenue, Breightmet. The court heard that she awoke to find herself in Hancock’s bed with him touching her leg, and she believed he was attempting to remove her knickers. The young girl, who only recently felt able to disclose the incident to police, was visibly distressed as she recounted her experience during the trial.

Prosecutor Gavin Howie explained that the girl was only seven at the time and that Hancock’s actions caused her significant harm, despite the physical nature of the assault being limited. Hancock’s defense lawyer, Brian McKenna, stated that Hancock was looking back nearly 40 years and that the incident’s details were vague to him, which contributed to his initial denial. Hancock had previously served a 12-year sentence for raping and abusing another young girl, and he was due to be released on license in September of that year. However, following his conviction for the recent offense, his release has been postponed, and he will remain incarcerated until the end of the year.

Earlier, in September 2012, Hancock, then aged 76 and residing on Red Lane in Breightmet, was found guilty of raping a young girl. The court heard that he had already admitted to eight counts of indecent assault against the girl, who was between the ages of eight and 12 at the time of the abuse. During a three-day trial at Bolton Crown Court, the jury was informed that Hancock, then in his 50s, had sexually abused the girl in various locations, including his former home on Monks Lane, a garden shed, a friend’s house, and Seven Acres Country Park.

The victim, now in her late 20s, testified via video link that Hancock had raped her in a bedroom after she went upstairs to use the toilet. She recounted that the abuse began around the age of eight, starting in Seven Acres Country Park when Hancock lifted her onto his shoulders and put his hand up her skirt. The abuse continued regularly over the next three or four years. She expressed her strong feelings of hatred towards Hancock and described the experience as making her skin crawl. The court heard that the rape in his home’s upstairs bedroom was a particularly traumatic incident. Due to legal restrictions, the victim’s identity remains protected.

On the basis of the evidence, the jury unanimously convicted Hancock of rape committed between 1993 and 1995. He was remanded into custody and is scheduled for sentencing on November 6 at Bolton Crown Court. Hancock’s criminal conduct, spanning decades and involving multiple victims, underscores the severity of his offenses and the ongoing impact on those affected.