PATRICK O’DONNELL OF WESTOW SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN YORK

In June 2017, Patrick O’Donnell, a 73-year-old resident of Main Street in Westow, was sentenced to over three years in prison following his conviction for a serious sexual assault on a young girl. The case was heard at York Crown Court, where O’Donnell appeared to face the consequences of his actions.

O’Donnell had previously entered a guilty plea to charges of sexual assault, as well as possession of indecent images of children and extreme pornography. The court was informed that he is in poor health, having not been employed since an industrial accident in the 1990s, which may have influenced considerations during sentencing. Despite this, the court sentenced him to a total of 40 months in prison, with the expectation that he would serve approximately half of that time behind bars.

Prosecutor Jo Kidd outlined the details of the case, revealing that O’Donnell had engaged in grooming the young girl prior to the assault. The court heard that he had instructed her to keep the incident a secret, which added to the severity of the crime. The grooming and manipulation were considered aggravating factors in the case.

In addition to the sexual assault, O’Donnell faced charges related to the possession of a significant number of indecent images. Specifically, he was found to have more than 100 such images, including 11 classified at the most serious level of indecency. Furthermore, authorities discovered 133 extreme pornographic images on his devices. These findings contributed to the overall sentence handed down by the court.

During the proceedings, O’Donnell admitted that the offences had been very difficult for him to acknowledge, and his guilty plea was viewed as a mitigating factor by the judge. Defense lawyer Mr. Palmer emphasized this point, suggesting that the admission of guilt was significant in the context of the case.

Judge Stubbs sentenced O’Donnell to three years for the sexual assault, with an additional four months for the possession of indecent images, which were ordered to run concurrently with three months for the extreme pornography. This resulted in a combined prison term of 40 months. The judge also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits O’Donnell from having contact with girls under the age of 16. The order also mandates that he disclose his internet browsing records to authorities, aiming to prevent further offenses.

It is noteworthy that a second charge of sexual assault, which O’Donnell denied, was ultimately dropped during the proceedings. The case underscores the serious nature of his crimes and the measures taken by the court to protect potential victims in the future.