August 21, 2020 3.56 pm This story is over 43 months old

Lincolnshire pensioner jailed for 10 years for historic child abuse

At least two victims over 20 years
John Baldwin admitted to numerous child sex offences in court. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A pensioner who admitted a series of historic sex offences against young girls has been jailed for ten and a half years at Lincoln Crown Court.

John Baldwin was told he had caused “immense harm” to his two victims.

Judge John Pini QC, passing sentence, told him: “Your conduct was appalling and disgraceful.

“It is clear that you have done immense harm. The fact that you have to serve a prison sentence now is the inevitable consequence of the fact that you escaped justice for so long.”

John Baldwin, 78, of Money Bridge Lane, Pinchbeck, pleaded guilty at Lincoln Crown Court to eight charges of indecent assault on a young girl and a further charge of indecency with a child between December 1987 and December 1995.

He also admitted four charges of sexual assault on a girl under the age of 13 between February 2006 and February 2007.

Baldwin was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Sarah Knight, prosecuting, told the court that the offences came to light in 2018 when the most recent victim messaged her mother telling of how she had been sexually abused when she was 10 years old.

Subsequently a second victim made a complaint that Baldwin had sexually abused her when she was aged between 8 and 15.

Miss Knight said that Baldwin sexually abused both of the girls in a brazen way.

In an impact statement the older victim told the court: “I lost my life from the day it started. I’ve had to live with it for 33 years.”

She said that as a result of the abuse she suffered as a child she had been unable to sustain a long-lasting relationship with a man.

She added that she had been unable to have children out of fear that they would suffer similar abuse and she would be unable to protect them.

The younger victim said she had wanted to die as a teenager because she felt unable to live with the memories of what she had suffered.

Tim Brown, in mitigation, said Baldwin had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty to the offences.

He added that Baldwin had originally been due to be sentenced at the end of March but the hearing was put off because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Mr Baldwin apologises to both the complainants. He says he is sorry.”