NEVILLE HEYWORTH SEX OFFENDER FROM WESTON FACES COURT AFTER CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT

In February 2012, a distressing case involving a sexual assault on a young boy by a family friend has sparked outrage and concern within the Weston community. The mother of the victim expressed her profound disappointment and anger towards the justice system, which she described as being slow and seemingly lenient in handling her son’s case.

It took an agonizing six months and a total of eight court appearances before Neville Heyworth, an 81-year-old resident of Walliscote Road in Weston, was finally sentenced for his crimes. Heyworth had pleaded guilty to two charges of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13, yet the process to reach a verdict was fraught with delays. The court proceedings were repeatedly postponed due to requests for medical reports and discussions about Heyworth’s health, which the mother believed were used as reasons to prolong the case.

According to court records, Heyworth admitted to touching the young boy intimately during a visit to his home in June of the previous year. He also attempted to place his hands under the child’s shorts, actions that constitute serious sexual offences. Despite the gravity of these allegations, the sentencing was delayed multiple times, causing additional distress to the victim’s family. It was only on a Friday that Heyworth was finally handed a three-year community order. Under this order, he will be supervised by the Probation Service for the duration of three years.

Furthermore, Heyworth is now prohibited from having any contact with children under the age of 16 indefinitely. He is also required to register as a sex offender for five years, a measure intended to monitor and restrict his movements and interactions with minors. The mother of the victim voiced her frustration, stating, “It is unbelievable that he could be treated with such dignity. As things were dragged out, I felt like the whole story of what happened and the impact it had caused was being lost.”

She further explained that Heyworth’s advanced age and the court’s treatment of him seemed to overshadow the severity of his actions. “Neville Heyworth is near the end of his life and my son is at the beginning of his,” she said. “This was serious stuff, but it became about how he was, rather than what he had done.” She also recounted her shock at the court’s conduct, noting that Heyworth was addressed as “sir” on the rare occasions he appeared in court, and on one occasion, he was even told he did not need to stand in the dock.

In August, Heyworth had pleaded guilty to the charges, leading the mother to expect a swift sentencing the following month. However, the case was repeatedly adjourned, prolonging her family’s agony. She described her emotional turmoil, recalling moments of rage and despair. “In the beginning, there was rage, and as a mother, my animal instinct kicked in,” she said. “On my way home from work, I would find myself doing 100mph, wanting to smash my car into the wall of his garden.”

She expressed her disillusionment with the justice system, emphasizing that it seemed to prioritize the offender’s comfort over justice for her son. “The justice system is supposed to protect us, but Neville Heyworth was the one who was protected for so long,” she lamented. “I cannot stress enough how my faith in the police kept me together, but I feel utterly disillusioned with the rest of the system.”

Her words underscore the profound impact such crimes have on victims and their families, and the frustration that can arise when justice appears delayed or insufficient. The case remains a stark reminder of the importance of swift and fair legal proceedings in cases of sexual offences, especially involving vulnerable children in Weston and beyond.