KENNETH WENN FROM ORTON GOLDBAY JAILED IN PETERBOROUGH FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In December 2016, Kenneth Wenn, a man with a troubling history of sexual offences involving minors, was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of new sexual crimes committed against a teenage girl. The case unfolded at Peterborough Crown Court, where the jury found Wenn guilty of two separate offences against the young victim, despite his initial denial of the charges.

Kenneth Wenn, aged 39 and residing in Eldern, Peterborough, was already known to the authorities for his past criminal behavior. When the offences against the girl occurred, he was 20 years older than her, and he had previously served time for similar crimes. His earlier conviction in 2011 involved a 13-month prison sentence for engaging in sexual activity with a 12-year-old girl. As part of his sentence, Wenn was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which prohibited him from having unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 16.

Despite these restrictions, the court heard that Wenn was still under the constraints of the SOPO at the time he committed the recent offences. The prosecution, led by Michael Proctor, highlighted the ongoing impact of Wenn’s actions on his victim, who was still suffering from anxiety and insecurity. During police interviews, the girl revealed that she felt increasingly vulnerable, avoiding going out alone, whether to walk her dog in the mornings or visit local shops at night. Her fears were directly linked to the trauma inflicted by Wenn’s previous and recent offences.

In his defense, Charles Falk argued that the two offences occurred a week apart and were not part of a prolonged pattern of abuse. Nevertheless, Judge Sean Enright sentenced Wenn to four years for each offence, with the sentences to run consecutively, resulting in a total of eight years behind bars.

Earlier in his criminal career, in 2014, Wenn was jailed for two and a half years after the Peterborough Telegraph exposed his blatant disregard for court orders. He had been caught at a gym and dance studio in Peterborough, which was run by his wife, despite a court order explicitly banning him from being present at such venues. The court heard that Wenn had breached his SOPO by attending Footworks Academy Gymnastics Dance Studio in Maxwell Road, Woodston, on December 19 and 21, 2014, just days after the order was imposed.

During that hearing, it was revealed that Wenn had initially denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the complaints against him were malicious and motivated by staff wanting to remove him from the premises. However, police investigations uncovered that Wenn had been actively involved at the gym, even helping to run the facility with his wife. The court was told that he had been seen handing out certificates to children and was in the presence of young girls, despite the restrictions placed upon him.

Further details emerged when the Peterborough Telegraph’s reporting prompted concerned parents to contact the police. It was established that Wenn had been at the gym on December 19 and 21, breaching his court order. Police found that he had been playing an active role in the operation of the gym, which was a violation of his SOPO. The investigation also uncovered that a CCTV hard disk had gone missing from the premises, raising suspicions that Wenn might have been attempting to cover his tracks.

In court, Wenn admitted to breaching his SOPO, explaining that his wife, who was heavily pregnant and had mobility issues, had asked him to step in and help at the gym. His defense argued that the gym had since been sold, reducing the risk of future breaches. Nonetheless, Judge Nic Madge emphasized the importance of protecting children and condemned Wenn’s blatant disregard for court orders. He sentenced him to two and a half years in prison, with the sentence suspended for 18 months.

Detective Sergeant Amerjit Singh from the Public Protection Department underscored the seriousness of Wenn’s actions, stating that his blatant violations of court-imposed restrictions demonstrated a clear disregard for public safety. The police reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding the community and emphasized that breaches of such orders would be met with strict consequences.

In December 2013, Wenn was again caught breaching a court order when he was spotted working at Footworks Academy Gymnastics Dance Studio in Maxwell Road, despite being explicitly banned from unsupervised contact with minors. Off-duty police officers recognized him at the venue, where he was employed in a backroom role but was also seen in areas accessible to children. This led to his guilty plea for breaching his SOPO, resulting in a 39-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. The court also amended his SOPO to prevent him from being present at the gym unless authorized.

Following these incidents, police and investigators remained vigilant, emphasizing that Wenn’s history of breaching court orders posed ongoing risks. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of strict enforcement of restrictions placed on sex offenders to protect vulnerable children and the community at large.