TERRENCE WILDING FROM WHITTLE-LE-WOODS JAILED FOR ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ACCESS TO TODDLER IN CHORLEY

In a disturbing case that has raised serious concerns about the safety of children in the Whittle-le-W Woods area, Terrence Wilding, aged 75, has been sentenced to prison after attempting to approach a young girl in Chorley under deceptive pretenses. The incident, which occurred in the summer of 2019, involved Wilding trying to gain access to a toddler by claiming he wanted to measure her feet for slippers, a story that was ultimately proven to be false and part of a pattern of concerning behavior.

Wilding, who resides in Church Hill, Whittle-le-Woods, had previously been subjected to a sexual harm prevention order following a serious sexual assault conviction in 2015. That earlier conviction involved Wilding befriending a child's grandparent and inviting the young girl to his vehicle to collect a gift, an act that led to a significant legal penalty and restrictions on his contact with minors. Under the terms of this order, Wilding was prohibited from having any unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16 unless explicit approval was granted by social services and the child's parents were fully aware of his background.

Despite these restrictions, the court heard that Wilding breached the order in 2019. On this occasion, he approached the family of the young girl, offering her parents chocolates and presenting slippers as a gift. When the parents mentioned that the slippers were too large for their child, Wilding returned later and asked to measure her feet, claiming it was for slippers. This act was viewed by the court as a sinister attempt to gain access to the child, especially considering Wilding's history as a convicted sex offender.

In addition to this, the court was informed that Wilding had previously given the family jewelry, purportedly for dressing up, which further raised suspicions. The parents, having become aware of rumors about Wilding’s past, contacted the police, leading to his arrest. Wilding subsequently pleaded guilty to breaching the sexual harm prevention order.

Judge Robert Altham, the Honorary Recorder of Preston, sentenced Wilding to 36 weeks in prison. During the sentencing, he described Wilding’s actions as “a sinister sort of offence” and emphasized the seriousness of his persistence in attempting to see the young girl. The judge pointed out that, although Wilding was never able to have unsupervised contact with the child, his repeated efforts to approach her demonstrated a clear risk. The court also acknowledged that such behavior would likely cause distress to any parent aware of a convicted paedophile attempting to gain access to their child.

Judge Altham highlighted the danger Wilding posed to the community, stating, “This defendant presents a risk to the public. This is a case that is so serious only a sentence of custody can be justified.” The court’s decision underscores the importance of safeguarding children from individuals with a history of sexual offenses, especially those who attempt to circumvent restrictions and engage in manipulative behaviors.