PAUL BROOK FROM HEYSHAM SENTENCED FOR MOLESTATION OF YOUNG BOY IN PRESTON

In July 2014, a disturbing case emerged involving Paul Brook, a 69-year-old man from Heysham, who was convicted of abusing a young boy under the guise of spiritual healing. The incident, which took place in Preston, has shocked the local community and brought to light the dangers of exploiting trust for malicious purposes.

Brook, who was known locally as a self-professed faith healer, claimed to be performing a healing ritual by 'laying on hands.' However, this pretense was used as a cover for his heinous acts. The abuse occurred on 30 separate occasions, during which he exploited his position of authority and trust to molest the young boy, who was still in primary school at the time.

The court heard that the offences came to light when the boy’s mother unexpectedly entered a room and saw Brook touching her son’s groin area. The mother was immediately shocked and distressed by what she witnessed. She confronted Brook’s wife, who denied any wrongdoing by her husband, dismissing her concerns. Despite her denial, the mother chose to report the incident to the police, leading to Brook’s arrest.

During police interviews, Brook chose to remain silent and did not provide any comments regarding the allegations. Subsequently, he pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual activity with a child, acknowledging his guilt in court.

Presiding over the case, Recorder Nicholas Clarke QC sentenced Brook to 45 months in prison. In his remarks, the judge condemned Brook’s abuse of his role as a healer, stating, “Under the pretext of laying hands on this young boy as some sort of pseudo healer, you exploited your position firstly to touch him over his clothes and then to touch his genitals.”

The judge emphasized the innocence of the young victim, noting that the boy was unable to comprehend the abuse at the time. He also highlighted that Brook had worked until the age of 52 and had been retired for 17 years. Despite being married for 48 years in what was described as an 'entirely stable relationship,' the judge pointed out that Brook’s past alcohol consumption had affected his behavior.

Furthermore, the court ordered Brook to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and imposed a lifelong sexual offences prevention order. The judge expressed concern about the long-term impact of the abuse on the young victim, acknowledging that the full extent of the trauma might only be understood as the boy matures. The case underscores the importance of vigilance and the need to protect vulnerable children from those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain.