Wigan child molester awaits sentence

Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court heard David Sculthorpe indicate a guilty plea to sexually touching the girl knowing she was under 16.

The 57-year-old, who formerly lived in Worsley Mesnes, performed the sexual act believing the 13-year-old to be asleep some time between July 26 2004 and July 15 2005 but she wasn’t.

Prosecuting, Steve Woodman said the incident was a serious offence which had a long-lasting impact on the victim.

Peter Moran, defending, said his client only had one previous conviction for an unrelated matter but did not dispute the circumstances, and that sentencing should take place at the crown court.

Sculthorpe told the court he was living at the Bellingham Hotel and was ordered to continue residing there as his bail condition prevented him returning to an address on Kingsley Avenue.

He was also ordered not to contact the victim and not to have any unsupervised encounter with a child under 16.

He will now appear at Bolton Crown Court on October 18.

The magistrates also ordered Sculthorpe to speak to the probation service so a report could be prepared for the sentencing judge.