Historical offences: 71-year-old denies committing Wigan child sex crimes

A pensioner has denied a series of historical sex offence accusations, including rape, against a schoolgirl and the neglect of another one in Wigan.
By Charles Graham
Published 19th Apr 2024, 15:45 BST
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Kenneth Wood, 71, of Silverdale Drive, Preston, is charged with raping the then under-16 – who cannot be named for legal reasons – on the night of August 15 and 16, 1992,.

He is also charged with indecently assaulting her four times between December 31, 1990 and August 1993, and assaulting, ill treating or neglecting her, causing unnecessary suffering, between April 1977 and 1993.

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Kenneth Wood's trial for historical child sex crimes has been scheduled for DecemberKenneth Wood's trial for historical child sex crimes has been scheduled for December
Kenneth Wood's trial for historical child sex crimes has been scheduled for December

A seventh charge accuses him of the maltreating or neglecting a second child between December 31, 1990 and July 2, 1994.

He has now entered not guilty pleas to all charges on appearing before a Bolton Crown Court judge.

A provisional trial date of November 2025 had previously been set but now proceedings are scheduled to go ahead sooner than that on December 9 2024, with a pre-trial review taking place on May 23.