WILLIAM PORTER SENTENCED IN PLUMSTEAD FOR DECADES OF CHILD SEX ABUSE

In a case that has shocked the community of Plumstead and the surrounding areas, William Porter, aged 47, was found guilty of a series of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of three young girls over a span of more than two decades. The court proceedings, held at Blackfriars Crown Court, revealed the disturbing details of Porter’s long history of offending, which began in 1977 and continued until his retirement in 1996.

William Porter, who once served as a teacher at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Woolwich, was convicted of forcing three girls to perform sexual acts on him during his period of abuse. The victims, whose identities are protected for legal reasons, ranged in age from as young as six to eleven at the time of their victimization. The youngest girl’s father expressed his disappointment with the sentencing, stating, “We thought the sentence should have been longer, but the judge did what he could within the law. I wasn’t expecting him to get life, or even very long. Paedophiles nowadays just get good prisons and a cushy life.” He added, “But how does five years make up for more than 20 years of pain and torment?”

Details of Porter’s criminal history show that his first known victim was an 11-year-old girl, whom he molested in 1977. That girl is now 35 years old. His second victim, now aged 26, was just seven years old when she was abused, and the third victim was 11 at the time of her assault and is now 14. The trauma inflicted upon these girls was profound, with one attempting to take her own life twice, and the others relocating across different parts of Britain to escape the memories of their abuse.

During the court hearing, it was clarified that Porter, who retired from his teaching career due to a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, did not abuse any of his students at the school. The judge, Richard Walker, delivered a stern sentence, stating, “I have no hesitation whatever in categorising you as a paedophile. The long-term effects and the distress to the girls was clear to me from the manner of them giving evidence. The pattern of offences and the breach of trust make it appropriate for your conduct to be characterised as serious child sex abuse. It makes you in my view a continuing danger to young girls.”

As part of his punishment, William Porter was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, a measure intended to monitor his activities and prevent further harm. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Plumstead, highlighting the devastating consequences of unchecked abuse and the importance of justice for victims of such heinous crimes.