Burnley child molester forced to face families of his victims
A child molester has been told he must face the families of his young victims when he is sentenced at Preston Crown Court.
Vincent Walker had asked a judge if he could appear by video link from prison when he learns his fate for multiple offences, but Judge Richard Archer ordered him to return to the the Preston court when the case is resolved in November.
The 71-year-old was jeered from the public gallery when he appeared in the dock on August 19 to hear his case adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be compiled.
When his lawyer asked for the hearing on November 28 to be conducted on video and not in person one parent shouted: “Shocking.”
Walker, of Rawson Street, Burnley, faces nine charges – three of sexual activity with children as young as 13, three of assaulting children under 13 by touching and three breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed by a previous court.
Families of the victims crowded into the court expecting to hear him sentenced for those this week, but Judge Archer was forced to adjourn the case after being told Walker had recently admitted a large number of other offences which needed to be taken into consideration.
Barrister Richard Haworth, for the prosecution, told the court that a group of relatives who had travelled over from East Lancashire for the hearing were “enormously disappointed” not to see him sentenced immediately.
He said Walker had pleaded guilty to the nine offences before Burnley Crown Court back in April, with the case being adjourned for sentence. In late July he appeared before Blackburn Magistrates Court to admit a further string of offences.
An administrative error meant the latest case was not ready to proceed alongside the original charges when it arrived in Preston Crown Court.
Mr Haworth said no pre-sentence report had been ordered from the Probation Service for the judge to consider before he sentenced Walker.
“I have sought to explain that to the families that are here today who are enormously disappointed,” he told the judge.
He added he was not aware of all the details of the further charges, how many children had been present at the defendant’s home and what inducements or rewards had been given to the children by Walker. He also said full transcripts of interviews with the young victims should also be available for the court to consider.
Judge Archer demanded a full report on what had gone wrong before the new sentencing hearing in November.
And he suggested the Crown Prosecution Service might want to send an explanation and an apology to the families concerned due to the “strength of feeling” the case had created.
Addressing the relatives in the public gallery Judge Archer said: “There are reasons why this case cannot proceed to sentence today. It is highly regrettable and (was) avoidable.
“The most important thing is to make sure this very serious case is given the proper attention it deserves. That can only be achieved by an adjournment.”
Turning to Walker he said: “You will be kept in custody.” And he added: “You must attend in person (on November 28).”
He ordered a full pre-sentence report on Walker to be compiled. A restraining order banning him from making any contact with his victims will also be prepared, along with a revised Sexual Harm Prevention Order.