NORMAN BOUSFIELD FROM KIRKBY STEPHEN SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS FOR REPEATED SEXUAL ABUSE OF TEENAGER IN CUMBRIA

In November 2012, a man from Kirkby Stephen, Norman Foster Bousfield, was sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of multiple charges related to the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl. Bousfield, aged 57, has publicly maintained his innocence despite the court’s verdict and is currently seeking permission to appeal the convictions to three of the highest judges in the country, following an initial unsuccessful appeal before a single judge.

His conviction stemmed from a series of disturbing incidents where he was found guilty of three counts of sexually assaulting the young girl. The incidents occurred after the girl visited his residence in Fletcher Hill Park, where she had gone to see his newborn baby. The court heard that Bousfield’s inappropriate and predatory behavior began during this visit, marking the start of a pattern of abuse.

Bousfield, a quarry worker by profession, was convicted in May of these three charges. However, the court could not impose a sentence at that time because two additional charges—attempted rape and sexual assault—were still unresolved. These charges had been part of a retrial after the first jury failed to reach a verdict on them. Last week, after a second jury also failed to agree on a verdict for these remaining charges, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to pursue a third trial.

Consequently, Bousfield was sentenced based on the convictions for the three charges, and the court ordered that the two unresolved charges be left on file without further action. In addition to his prison term, Bousfield was mandated to register as a sex offender for life, and he was prohibited from working with children or having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.

During the trial proceedings, the court was informed that Bousfield’s misconduct began after the girl visited him and his partner, Nicola Higgins, at their home to see their baby. Prosecutor Nick Kennedy described Bousfield’s behavior as developing “an unhealthy and totally inappropriate sexual interest” in the girl. The victim, now an adult, testified that Bousfield had warned her not to tell anyone about the abuse, threatening that her mother would be ashamed of her and would stop loving her if she revealed what had happened.

Bousfield, in his defense, claimed that he had never been alone with the girl, nor had he contacted her to invite her over, help with his baby, or touched her in any inappropriate way. His legal representatives argued that he was innocent of the charges.

Prior to sentencing, Bousfield’s defense lawyer, Greg Hoare, expressed concern about the impact of imprisonment on his client, emphasizing that going to prison at his age would be particularly difficult. He stated, “Going to prison for offences of this type is – as he has already found while being in custody on remand – going to be a very uncomfortable experience indeed.”

Judge Paul Batty QC delivered the sentence, making it clear that he believed Bousfield’s infatuation with the girl was the root of his misconduct. The judge described how Bousfield had flirted with her and even plied her with alcohol. The court also considered a statement from the victim, which detailed how the abuse had profoundly affected her life. The judge remarked that the victim’s life had been “blighted,” transforming her from a happy, loving child into a “truculent and difficult teenager.”

Overall, the case highlighted the serious nature of Bousfield’s actions and the lasting impact on his victim, emphasizing the importance of justice and protection for vulnerable young individuals in the community of Kirkby Stephen and the wider Cumbria area.