Chorley wife who lied to protect her child abusing husband is jailed

Helen Woodhead-Billington, 42, of Corporation Street, Chorley, had admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice but disputed some of the facts against her and had to have a trial of issue at Preston Crown Court.

She submitted the greetings card, which she had written herself, to solicitors as evidence, pretending it was written by the young complainant in the trial involving her husband, Barry Woodhead.

She had also referred to the card when she gave evidence - in her husband’s defence - at his trial at Preston Crown Court in 2017.

The card purported to be from the young victim and appeared to indicate the allegations the youngster had made against Barry Woodhead were not true.

But it is understood handwriting experts were brought in to look at the suspicious card.

Later they deemed the defendant had written it herself.

Fortunately, the card did not affect the outcome of the trial, for her husband was later found guilty by jurors of a string of 24 charges of sexually abusing the girl, including when she was aged as young as three.

The charges included seven counts of rape, seven of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two of indecent assault, two of indecency with a child and six of sexual assault of a child.

He was jailed for 16 years and must serve an extended licence once he is released by the parole board.

Judge David Potter ordered an immediate jail term for his wife.