Man convicted of historic sexual abuse in Northwich

A man from Northwich has been found guilty of grooming and sexually abusing a young boy in the 1990s.

Trevor Leach was unanimously found guilty of 19 counts of gross indecency following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

The 65-year-old, of Verdin Avenue, Northwich, has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Liverpool on Friday 8 August.

The court heard Leach groomed and sexually abused the victim between 1992 and 1996, starting when the boy was just 12 years old.

The pair initially met while Leach was working at the former Elf garage, which was located opposite Hartford High School.

The victim recalled how Leach would regularly take him out in his car and back to his home, where he would sexually abuse him.

The victim initially chose not to report the incidents to police. However, in 2022 they had a chance encounter with Leach which triggered a number of memories and led them to report the allegations.

Following the reports an investigation was launched by detectives and Leach was questioned in relation to the allegations. Leach admitted that he knew the victim but denied any wrongdoing.

Despite his denial, he was later charged in relation to the allegations.

Following the guilty verdict, Detective Constable Kelly Mankee, who led the investigation said:

“This has been a complex and lengthy investigation which ultimately uncovered Leach’s despicable behaviour.

“It was apparent throughout the investigation that Leach is a sexual predator who had preyed on a vulnerable young schoolboy, grooming him and manipulating him in order to fulfil his own sexual gratification.

“He convinced the boy that what they were doing was normal, when in reality Leach was well aware that what he was doing was wrong.

“His actions have had a lasting impact on the victim, and I would like to praise him for the courage and bravery that he had shown throughout the trial.

“Having to relive his ordeals in court was not easy, but thanks to the strength of their evidence, Leach had now been held accountable for his actions.

“As this case shows, we treat all reports of non-recent sexual offences seriously, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority, and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated.

“Anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse – no matter how long ago the incident took place – is urged to come forward and report it to Cheshire Police on 101 or through our website.”

Pictured - Trevor Leach of Verdin Avenue in Northwich.