Man in his 70s found guilty of indecent assaults dating back to 1980s
Written by John Williamson on 27/12/2023
A man from North Shields has been convicted of indecent assaults and indecency with a child.
Harold Wharton, aged 73, of Ripley Avenue North Shields was found unanimously guilty of six counts of indecent assaults against a girl under 14 and two counts of indecency with a child, at Preston Crown Court on Thursday (30 Nov).
The charges all relate to historic offences committed in Dalton in Furness in the late 1980s to early 1990s.
DC McFall of Barrow CID said: “The jury in this case unanimously found Wharton guilty of these crimes and the message from their decision is clear; complaints of sexual offences for incidents that happened over three decades ago or longer will be taken seriously by police and justice can still be served.
“No matter how much time has passed, support is available in Cumbria.
“The Constabulary works closely with trusted partner agencies to provide the appropriate support, which is tailored to an individual’s circumstances.”
Wharton was remanded in custody by Judge Preston and will be sentenced for his crimes on 23rd February 2024.
HOW DO I REPORT TO POLICE
If you wish to report to police you can do so online at www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it
You can also phone on 101.
Always phone 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
