Lancashire army cadet captain jailed for eight years for sexual abuse of boys in his care

George Walker, 80, was a Lieutenant and later a Captain in the Army Cadets in Burnley and Haslingden in the 1970s.

The court heard that he used his position to befriend young army cadets who were under his command, and then systematically sexually abused them.

He was already serving a five-year jail term after being convicted in 2017 of abusing two army cadets.

However, following the reporting of the case in the media, four more boys came forward to report that they too had been victims of Walker.

In January this year Walker pleaded guilty to a further 24 offences of child sexual abuse against boys aged as young as 13 in the 1970s.

He was handed an eight-year jail sentence at Burnley Crown Court on Thursday, which he will begin straight after the five-year term he is already serving.

Det Sgt Mark Holland, of Lancashire Police, said: “All the victims in this case have been extraordinarily brave to come forward and report what happened to them and to be prepared to face their abuser in court.

“These boys have described how they have lived in torture after what Walker did to them all those years ago and I hope this sentence can help them somehow move forward with their lives. They need feel no shame or guilt – that burden is Walker's and Walker's alone to bear.

“Lancashire Constabulary will continue to investigate sexual abuse, no matter who the perpetrator or how long ago the abuse occurred and we would encourage anyone who has been a victim to come forward and report it, confident that it will be investigated professionally and sensitively.”