Northwich man jailed for historic sexual abuse

Trevor Leach groomed and sexually abused his victim between 1992 and 1996

A "sexual predator" who groomed and abused a young boy in the 1990s has been jailed.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Trevor Leach's victim was 12 years old when the grooming and abuse started in 1992 and continued until 1996.

Leach, from Northwich in Cheshire, was convicted of 11 counts of gross indecency and nine counts of indecent assault.

He was sentenced on Friday to 18 years in prison.

'Sexual predator'

The court was told Leach met his victim while working at a petrol station near the boy's school.

Leach would drive him to his home in Winnington, where the sexual abuse took place.

The victim also said he saw other young boys at Leach's house.

Leach also took the boy to a picnic area where he sexually abused him in front of other men.

The victim came forward in 2022 to report the abuse he had suffered to Cheshire Police.

Detective Constable Kelly Mankee said: "Leach is a sexual predator and I welcome the sentence that has been handed to him.

"It was apparent throughout the investigation that Leach 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 they were in a loving relationship and what they were doing was normal, when in reality Leach was well aware that what he was doing was wrong."