KEITH WHITWORTH FROM KIRKHOLST AND WHITWORTH SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD SEX ABUSE IN ROCHDALE AND LANCASTER

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Kirkholt, Whitworth, and Rochdale, Keith Whitworth, born on August 5, 1953, has been convicted of a series of heinous sexual offences committed against three young children. The crimes, which spanned over several years, included rape, attempted rape, buggery, indecent assault, and acts of indecency, all of which have left a lasting impact on the victims and their families.

Whitworth, residing at Great Gates Close in Kirkholt, was brought before Bolton Crown Court on February 22, 2013, where he was sentenced to a lengthy term of 22 years in prison. Additionally, he was placed under an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, a measure designed to restrict his contact with children and prevent further harm.

The first victim, who came forward in June 2011, recounted a disturbing history of abuse that began when she was approximately seven years old. Over a period of about ten years, Whitworth subjected her to repeated sexual assaults, including rape. Her testimony revealed the prolonged nature of the abuse and the deep scars it left.

The second victim was a young boy aged just five when Whitworth first began abusing him. As time progressed, the severity of the offences increased, culminating in the boy being raped multiple times over several years. The repeated assaults inflicted profound trauma, and the boy’s ordeal was marked by a pattern of escalating violence.

The third victim, a seven-year-old girl, also endured a prolonged period of abuse at Whitworth’s hands. Similar to the other victims, she was subjected to repeated rapes and other sexual acts over an extended timeframe, highlighting the predatory nature of Whitworth’s actions.

Throughout the period of abuse, Whitworth would carry out his crimes either at his residence in Whitworth, Lancashire, or at a property in Newbold, Rochdale. He also took his victims to isolated locations such as Stony Vale Park, where he continued his predatory behavior away from prying eyes.

Detective Constable Lesley Nolan-Brennan expressed her outrage at the case, describing the details of the abuse as “quite frankly stomach churning.” She emphasized the prolonged suffering endured by the children and acknowledged the courage it took for them to testify in court. “The consequences of his actions have been life-changing for all three victims,” she said. “I hope they now find some sense of justice with his sentencing.”