Former village butcher jailed for indecent assaults half a century ago

A former village butcher has been jailed for indecently assaulting two girls more than 50 years ago.

John Priestley committed his offences in the early 1970s, when he was the local butcher in Croston.

Priestley’s offending was reported to Lancashire Police in 2022, by one of his now his now adult victims, who was aged 11 when he first assaulted her.

Police enquiries identified Priestley’s second victim, who was 13 when he first assaulted her.

They launched an investigation and Priestley was interviewed. During the interview, Priestley denied any wrongdoing whatsoever.

Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Priestley, 83, of Glamis Road, Leyland, was summonsed to court, where he pleaded not guilty, putting both of his victims through the ordeal of a trial.

A jury at Preston Crown Court saw through Priestley’s lies and unanimously found him guilty of seven charges of indecent assault after a trial in April.

On Monday (15th June), Priestley appeared back in the dock at Preston Crown Court, where Judge Phillip Parry sentenced Priestely to three-and-a-half years imprisonment.

In a Victim Impact Statement, one of the victims 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 continued: “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.”

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.”