A man from Newton-le-Willows, David Ashbrook, 59, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for historic sexual offences against a child. The sentence was delivered at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, October 26, following Ashbrook’s guilty plea to 15 counts of rape, sexual touching, and other sexual offences.

The investigation into Ashbrook’s crimes was initiated after authorities received a report in July regarding sexual offences committed against a child over a period of several years. Detectives diligently pursued the case, ultimately leading to Ashbrook being brought before the courts to face justice for his reprehensible actions.

Detective Constable Louise Parr, involved in the investigation, commended the immense courage and bravery shown by the victim in reporting these heinous offences. She emphasized that Ashbrook would now be held accountable for his depraved acts and would spend a significant amount of time behind bars.

The impact of such appalling crimes on the victims is significant and long-lasting. Detective Constable Parr expressed hope that the sentence would provide some comfort to the victim, knowing that they did the right thing by reporting Ashbrook’s crimes to the authorities.

Detective Constable Parr emphasised that Merseyside Police is fully committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and apprehending those who seek to harm them. She urged anyone who has experienced any form of sexual abuse or has knowledge of a child being abused to come forward and report it to the police. She assured potential witnesses that all reports would be treated with the utmost seriousness, and that specially trained officers would handle the cases with sensitivity and compassion.