MARTIN GULWELL JAILED IN GLOUCESTER FOR INDECENT ASSAULT ON GIRL

In June 2009, Gloucester Crown Court sentenced Martin Gulwell to three and a half years in prison for indecently assaulting a young girl nearly two decades earlier. Gulwell, a 51-year-old man with grey hair, appeared in court wearing a green and orange rugby shirt and loudly declared, "My conscience is clear," after the judge delivered his sentence.

Gulwell, residing on Redwell Road in Matson, was convicted in May by a 10-2 majority of assaulting the girl when she was approximately nine or ten years old. The court heard that the trial had caused the victim to relive what she described as her "nightmare" childhood.

His defense lawyer, Virginia Cornwall, maintained his innocence, emphasizing that the charges involved only a single incident with one victim. She highlighted Gulwell's background as a family man actively involved in community events and noted that he had held responsible employment throughout his life until the stress of the legal proceedings led to him going on benefits.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by Simon Burns, explained that Gulwell denied assaulting the girl between December 31, 1990, and January 1, 1992. The incident was said to have occurred at a house in Tredworth, where the girl recalled staying overnight in the front bedroom. She testified that she could not sleep and pretended to be asleep when Gulwell entered the room, during which he committed the assault. Following the attack, she felt embarrassed and dirty but did not initially disclose what had happened. She later confided in her mother and a friend in 1992, but police were not involved until years later.

The victim eventually reported the incident to the police, participated in a recorded interview, and provided a DVD of her statement, Mr. Burns said. Gulwell was formally interviewed in October of the previous year, during which he denied all allegations.

Judge Martin Picton sentenced Gulwell and remarked that his actions had caused "considerable harm" to the victim. The judge noted that the Probation Service had assessed Gulwell as presenting a high risk of causing serious harm to children and that he remained in denial about his conduct. The judge also deemed a sexual offences prevention order necessary, making Gulwell subject to such an order and placing him on the sex offenders register indefinitely.