WILLIAM JAMES DENT MAN SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 12-YEAR-OLD BOY IN LAKE DISTRICT

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Dent and the surrounding Lake District area, William James, a 58-year-old former training officer with the St John Ambulance in Cumbria, was sentenced to three years in prison for the sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy. The incidents occurred during camping trips that James took the young boy on, exploiting his position of trust and authority to commit these heinous acts.

According to court proceedings, James, who resided with his wife in Glebe Fold, Dent, near Sedbergh, used his role as a first aid instructor to persuade the boy to accompany him on two separate camping expeditions in the Lake District. Prosecuting counsel David Birrell detailed that during the first trip, the boy awoke in the middle of the night to find James abusing him. Shockingly, the boy was not alone at the time; two other children were also present in the tent, yet James continued his assault. On the second trip, James assaulted the boy twice more, this time when they were alone together.

William James pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual assault, acknowledging his guilt before the court. The impact of his actions has been devastating for the victim, who is now an adult. Mr. Birrell emphasized that the young man had been left