Rochdale Paedophile who abused child in Whitworth avoids prison

Wednesday, 28 January 2026 08:08

By David Murphy

A Rochdale man has been sentenced for a sexual offence committed against a child in the 1980s, following a report made more than 40 years after the incident took place.

Gary O’Shea, 63, of Newark Road, Rochdale, pleaded guilty at Burnley Magistrates’ Court to one count of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 13. The offence took place at his former home in Whitworth, when the victim was aged just eight or nine.

The court was told that O’Shea assaulted the girl while she was sitting on a sofa in his living room. When she objected, he told her: “It’s OK, there’s nothing wrong.”

The victim came forward in September 2023, reporting the incident to Burnley Police Station. O’Shea was arrested, interviewed, and later charged.

He appeared in court on 26 January 2026 and was given a 12-month conditional discharge. The conviction is now on record, but he will not serve a prison sentence unless he commits another offence within that period.

Lancashire Constabulary has encouraged other survivors of historic abuse to come forward, stating that all reports will be taken seriously no matter how much time has passed.

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