Kidderminster teacher convicted of historic indecent assault of child
A former teacher has been jailed for indecently assaulting one of his pupils when they were aged under 16.
David Wilkinson’s sentencing for crimes against one of his former pupils in 1983 serves as a powerful reminder that it is never too late for survivors of child sexual abuse to seek justice.
Wilkinson, 77, met his victim while working as a teacher at Wolverley Secondary School near Kidderminster in the 1980s. She was only 15-years-old and Wilkinson was 20 years her senior when he began exploiting and abusing her.
At age 15, she was not old enough to give consent to a sexual relationship – a fact that a high school teacher would be well aware of.
When sentencing Wilkinson, Judge Seanin Gilmore stated he was manipulative and abusive, showing a “lack of victim sympathy”. The judge, bound by the sentencing guidance from 1983, sentenced Wilkinson to three years in prison. He said today’s sentencing guidelines could see offences of this nature resulting in prison sentences of up to 14 years.
As a solicitor who represents survivors of child sexual abuse, it is very common for victims not to feel able to come forward until much later in life, and I understand there can be many barriers for survivors.
I act for clients who, like this survivor who came forward to report Wilkinson’s abuse, become adults, see their children grow up, and then realise the reality of their childhood experiences.
It is never too late for survivors to come forward. At Bolt Burdon Kemp, we have a specialist team of experts in abuse law who support survivors to report their experience and to bring claims to help them address and seek accountability for what they have suffered. We are here to offer free, no-obligation advice about your rights.
For victims of this type of abuse, a civil law claim can follow a criminal conviction and offer victims compensation to help them fund medical or therapeutic treatment, to reflect their losses resulting from an abuser’s wrongdoing. It is clear that Wilkinson’s actions have had a lasting impact upon his victim, and I hope she receives compassionate support as she moves forward.
