A former village butcher who used his good standing in the community to sexually abuse two young girls more than 50 years ago has finally faced justice. Paedophile John Priestley, now 83, made himself seem like a good person while working as a butcher in Croston, Lancashire, but left his victims enduring decades of torment after abusing them in the 1970s.
Priestley's offending was reported to police in 2022 by one victim, who was just 11 years old when he first assaulted her. Lancashire Police's investigation identified a second victim, who was 13 at the time of the first assault. Despite denying any wrongdoing during a police interview, Priestley was summonsed to court after the investigation.
He pleaded not guilty, forcing both victims to endure the ordeal of a trial. In a victim impact statement, one victim said: “This abuse has affected me throughout my whole life. What he did to me enters my head almost every day and has done for the past 50 years. I have suffered emotionally since the abuse began.”
She added: “One of the worst things about this abuse is the way it affected my ability to bring up my children and how it has affected my relationship with my husband. I made decisions about the children that I wouldn't have made if I had never been abused. I am a victim of John Priestley and as a result my husband, my children and my grandchildren are also victims. I can never put the abuse out of my head.”
A jury at Preston Crown Court unanimously found Priestley guilty of seven charges of indecent assault following a trial in April. On Monday, June 15, he appeared back in the dock at Preston Crown Court, where Judge Phillip Parry sentenced him to three-and-a-half years imprisonment.
Detective Constable Will Hogan, of Lancashire Police, said: “Priestley’s victims have had to live for more than 50 years with the harrowing effects of the crimes he committed, before they had the courage to report them. They now have justice after conducting themselves with such strength throughout this process.
“Priestley used his good standing as a village businessman to make himself seem like a good person – he is not. He pretended to be a member of the local community, someone who was known around the village as a decent person, all while he was sexually abusing young girls.
“Priestley is 83 and will spend a considerable time in custody and will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for the rest of his life. I hope Priestley’s victims feel some sense of justice, knowing he has finally been sentenced for his crimes.
“If you’ve been a victim of any sexual offence, at any time, please report it to Lancashire Police. We will listen to you, support you and investigate appropriately, no matter how long ago it happened.”
