June 2012

Holmfirth pensioner pervert is ‘significant menace’ judge says after hearing of bus station attack on woman and 10-year-old girl

A PENSIONER who sexually assaulted a woman and a 10-year-old girl at Holmfirth bus station has been jailed for eight months.

A judge yesterday branded 69-year-old Charles Richardson “a significant menace’’ after hearing details of two incidents which happened within the space of an hour last September.

Bradford Crown Court heard that the young girl was left crying and distressed after Richardson grabbed her bottom and Judge John Potter said both victims, neither of whom can be identified, had been caused significant upset.

The court heard that Richardson had approached the woman first and had tried to kiss her before putting his arms around her.

Judge Potter said the pensioner had been abusive to the woman and had made matters worse by then getting on the same bus.

After returning to the bus station Richardson had then molested the young girl before being detained by passing police community support officers.

The judge told Richardson: “This was in my judgement, a sustained course of sexual conduct over a period of time causing significant upset and no doubt a degree of harm to the two victims.

“The victims were members of the public unknown to you at the time, selected randomly by you for your purposes of behaving sexually towards them in an unlawful and inappropriate way.”

The judge said Richardson’s behaviour showed he was “a significant menace” to members of the public going about their lawful lives.

He added: “I do say menace because this isn’t the first time that you have behaved in this way.”

Back in January 2003 Richardson was convicted of indecently assaulting a nurse in a hospital.

Although Richardson – formerly of Royds Avenue, New Mill – pleaded guilty to two offences of sexual assault, the judge noted that he appeared to be unwilling or unable to address the root cause of his offending.

“That means that you continue to present some level of potential risk of harm to the public,” said Judge Potter.

In addition to jailing Richardson, Judge Potter also imposed an indefinite sexual offences prevention order which includes a ban on any unsupervised contact with under 16-year-olds at any bus or railway station in England and Wales.

Richardson will also have to register as a sex offender with the police following his release from prison for the next 10 years.