A FORMER Leamington schoolteacher and youth club leader cannot be jailed over his sexual abuse of four girls more than 25 years ago – because he is now suffering from dementia.
David Wesley had denied a total of 21 charges including indecent assaults on girls under the age of 16 and on girls under the age of 14.
He first appeared at Warwick Crown Court as long ago as December 2016 when it was said he had committed offences against four girls on dates between 1977 and 1992.
At that time the 66-year-old, of Offchurch Road, Cubbington, was a teacher at North Leamington School, and was also a youth club leader at Cubbington Methodist Church.
Wesley’s barrister Scott Coughtrie tolf the initial hearing it was ‘a very complex historical case’ with up to 30 witnesses.
At a later hearing Wesley pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was to stand trial at the end of October last year.
But two weeks before it had been due to start, the trial had to be adjourned after the court was told Wesley was in hospital.
He was subsequently found to be suffering from dementia and mentally unfit to stand trial in the normal way.
Instead, a ‘trial of fact’ has taken place at Birmingham Crown Court, where a jury was asked to decide whether he ‘did the acts alleged.’
And in relation to 16 of the 21 allegations, they found that he did, but found him not guilty of the other five.
But because of the finding that he was unfit to stand trial, there are only three possible disposals – a hospital order detaining him in a psychiatric hospital under the Mental Health Act, supervision or an absolute discharge.
And a hospital order can only be imposed if the person is suffering from a treatable condition.
Wesley is expected to be learn what is to happen to him on Wednesday – after the judge has read or heard statements from three of his victims.
