William Abbott, a practising Jehovah’s Witness at the time, subjected one young girl to a bizarre “rape test”. Wales, UK.

by Sol Reform 11 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Sol Reform

  http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/husband-ex-wife-jailed-over-series-6071503

  Husband and ex-wife jailed over series of historic sex offences

  20 Sep 2013 16:16 William Abbott, 61, and his ex-wife Helen Ward sentenced to a total of 26 years for their involvement in crimes dating back three decades Share on print Share on email William Abbott Andrew Price/Viewfinder Pictures A 61-year-old man has been jailed for 16 years after being convicted of historic sex offences dating back 30 years. William Abbott, a practising Jehovah’s Witness at the time, subjected one young girl to a bizarre “rape test”. He told her that she would have to learn to fight off men in later life and tested her to see if she was strong enough to fight off a rapist. She was not – and he cynically ended up raping her for his own sexual gratification. His former wife Helen Ward, 60, was convicted of aiding and abetting him – and was jailed for ten years. Both Abbot, of Pickering Road in Wallasey, and Ward, of Green Lane in Shotton, were placed on the sex offender register for life. Judge Philip Hughes, sitting at Mold Crown Court, also made them subject of SOPOs, Sexual Offences Prevention Orders, which prevents them being alone with children in the future. Abbott was convicted of two rapes and an attempted rape on a female child and two indecent assaults on a boy. Ward – said to have been controlled by Abbott at the time – was convicted of aiding and abetting rape, attempted rape and indecent assault. They denied all charges but were convicted at an earlier hearing. The judge said that they had both been convicted of serious sexual offences against children going back 30 years, to the early 1980s. They were committed against a background of illicit drug taking. Abbott, he said, was controlling and his victims had been threatened not to disclose what had happened to them. They had blighted the lives of their victims and caused them emotional damage. Abbott had told one victim that she had to undergo a "rape test", the judge explained. He claimed he was doing her a favour so that she might know what to expect from men and learn how to fend them off. But he had cynically raped her. Ward had persuaded the victim to succumb to his advances. “You both know that for this kind of sexual abuse only long custodial sentences are appropriate,” the judge told them. He branded Abbott a domineering man and a bully. Ward had come under his influence and assisted him in what he was doing. The judge said that he had read testimonials written on their behalf which showed that since the offences 30 years ago they had impressed others and had displayed a rather more responsible attitude. Abbott stood with his eyes closed as the 16 year sentence was passed and showed no emotion. Ward stood with her hand over her mouth when the ten year sentence was passed. They were then handcuffed and led to the cell block. Prosecuting barrister Karl Scholz said that the defendants, both practising Jehovah’s Witnesses at the time, had committed the offences 30 years ago and believed that they were hidden in their past. But the victims came forward to explain what had occurred all those years ago. Desmond Lennon, for Abbott, said that his client did not accept the allegations made against him. Dafydd Roberts, for Ward, said that she and her former husband divorced many years ago and she now had a new life. He said it was clear that he had intimidated and used violence against her years ago and that she had come under his influence.
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  whathappened

  Wow, now I have heard everything!
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  mouthy

  sicko"s
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  adamah

  Imagine that: reading an authoritarian misogynistic book as if it was reality and the eternal fate of one's soul depended on absorbing it's contents actually leads some to adopt authoritarian and misogynistic attitudes, forming groups where they can operate under-cover! Who'da thunk?

  I'm just now reading the "Dinah" thread: you think they MIGHT be related?

  Adam
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  grumblecakes

  What the hell is "cynical rape"?
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  Teary Oberon

  Playing Devil's advocate here, but there are several things about the article that bug me.

  Standard journalism 101: one typically only brings up the religion of a person mentioned in an article if said religion is actually relevant to the story. But the writer never makes any attempt to explain the signficance of their being Witnesses, nor does he say that the victims were Witnesses. To me it is like starting an article with:

  "John Doe, a praticing Mormon, shot and killed his neighbor on June 17th"

  And then never bothering to explain what being a Mormon has to do with it.

  Now, if the writer wants to say that Abott's being a Witness was related to Plaintiffs' being assaulted then that is fine; but he has to actually state it and then back it up with something, which he never bother to do. It is a pretty clear bias IMO.

  I could also bash the idea of convicting people of crimes committed 30 years ago based on verbal testimony only and no physical evidence, but that is another can of worms entirely.
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  PaintedToeNail

  Teary-what does religion have to do with it? Everything! These people were professed Jehovah's Witnesses at the time of the crimes. These people were going out in Field Service telling other people to convert to JW-hood because you will DIE, you are wick and we won't because we are better than you.
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  rebel8

  I agree with Teary that this fact appears to be random and irrelevant strictly from an uninformed reader's view. The writer would have done well to explain why it was relevant.

  The writer may have been resting on the fact that most readers are overly familiar with clergy sexual abuse, and somehow felt that would be explanatory.

  What I read is this couple was not clergy, nor was there a cover up or any of the other hallmarks of the clergy abuse scandals, except maybe for the veiled reference to "hidden in their pasts" and the fact that many children were victimized (hence access to a pool of victims, i.e., in a church group).

  What it sounds like, again just from what the article states, is perp #1 used deception to victimize this child, and manipulation to gain a helper in the act. While they could easily physically overcome their victims, this deception helps deflect punishment by confusing their victims. Getting a helper deflects blame and further intimidates a victim who is inclined to report the crime. This is run-of-the-mill sociopath/sex offender behavior and is not specific to any religions group.

  Well I guess maybe I'm stating the obvious.
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  Sol Reform

  http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/william-abbott-bully-who-subjected-6073209

  William Abbott: Bully who subjected girl to sick 'rape test' jailed for 16 years

  21 Sep 2013 09:38 Hi ex-wife is also jailed for 10 years for aiding and abetting him Share on printShare on email William Abbott THE perverted past of a bully who subjected a girl to a sick ‘rape test’ caught up with him when he was jailed for 16 years after being convicted of historic sex offences dating back 30 years. William Abbott, 61, a practising Jehovah’s Witness at the time, told the child that she would have to learn to fight off men in later life and tested her to see if she was strong enough to fend off a rapist. She was not – and he ended up raping her. His former wife Helen Ward, 60, was convicted of aiding and abetting him – and was jailed for 10 years yesterday. Both Abbot, of Pickering Road in Wallasey, and Ward, of Green Lane in Shotton, were placed on the sex offender register for life. Judge Philip Hughes at Mold Crown Court, also made them subject of Sexual Offences Prevention Orders, which prevents them being alone with children. Abbott was convicted of two rapes and an attempted rape on a female child and two indecent assaults on a boy. Ward – said to have been controlled by Abbott at the time – was convicted of aiding and abetting rape, attempted rape and indecent assault. They denied all charges but were convicted at an earlier hearing. Helen Ward The judge said that they had both been convicted of serious sexual offences against children going back to the 1980s. They were committed against a background of illicit drug taking. Abbott, he said, was controlling and his victims had been threatened not to tell. They had blighted the lives of their victims and caused them emotional damage. “You both know that for this kind of sexual abuse only long custodial sentences are appropriate,” the judge said. Desmond Lennon, for Abbott, said that his client did not accept the allegations made against him. Ward said she had started a new life.
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  Sol Reform

  http://ukpaedos-exposed.com/2013/09/20/william-abbotthelen-ward-wallaseyshotton/

  Database of UK and Eire paedophiles/child abusers Search: William Abbott/Helen Ward – Wallasey/Shotton 20 Friday Sep 2013 Posted by Author in Clwyd, Female Abuser, Merseyside September 2013 Husband and ex-wife jailed over series of historic sex offences A 61-year-old man has been jailed for 16 years after being convicted of historic sex offences dating back 30 years. William Abbott, a practising Jehovah’s Witness at the time, subjected one young girl to a bizarre “rape test”. He told her that she would have to learn to fight off men in later life and tested her to see if she was strong enough to fight off a rapist. She was not – and he cynically ended up raping her for his own sexual gratification. His former wife Helen Ward, 60, was convicted of aiding and abetting him – and was jailed for ten years. Both Abbot, of Pickering Road in Wallasey, and Ward, of Green Lane in Shotton, were placed on the sex offender register for life. Judge Philip Hughes, sitting at Mold Crown Court, also made them subject of SOPOs, Sexual Offences Prevention Orders, which prevents them being alone with children in the future. Abbott was convicted of two rapes and an attempted rape on a female child and two indecent assaults on a boy. Ward – said to have been controlled by Abbott at the time – was convicted of aiding and abetting rape, attempted rape and indecent assault. They denied all charges but were convicted at an earlier hearing. The judge said that they had both been convicted of serious sexual offences against children going back 30 years, to the early 1980s. They were committed against a background of illicit drug taking. Abbott, he said, was controlling and his victims had been threatened not to disclose what had happened to them. They had blighted the lives of their victims and caused them emotional damage. Abbott had told one victim that she had to undergo a “rape test”, the judge explained. He claimed he was doing her a favour so that she might know what to expect from men and learn how to fend them off. But he had cynically raped her. Ward had persuaded the victim to succumb to his advances. “You both know that for this kind of sexual abuse only long custodial sentences are appropriate,” the judge told them. He branded Abbott a domineering man and a bully. Ward had come under his influence and assisted him in what he was doing. The judge said that he had read testimonials written on their behalf which showed that since the offences 30 years ago they had impressed others and had displayed a rather more responsible attitude. Abbott stood with his eyes closed as the 16 year sentence was passed and showed no emotion. Ward stood with her hand over her mouth when the ten year sentence was passed. They were then handcuffed and led to the cell block. Prosecuting barrister Karl Scholz said that the defendants, both practising Jehovah’s Witnesses at the time, had committed the offences 30 years ago and believed that they were hidden in their past. But the victims came forward to explain what had occurred all those years ago. Desmond Lennon, for Abbott, said that his client did not accept the allegations made against him. Dafydd Roberts, for Ward, said that she and her former husband divorced many years ago and she now had a new life. He said it was clear that he had intimidated and used violence against her years ago and that she had come under his influence.