Paedophile jailed for historic abuse of young girls
William Thompson’s crimes only came to light when the victims disclosed the abuse to friends later in life
Last updated 20th Nov 2025
A paedophile who sexually abused two children in the early 2000s has been brought to justice.
William Thompson’s crimes only came to light when the victims disclosed the abuse to friends later in life and felt ready to share what had happened to them.
Thompson, 70, of Nightingale Court, Gunthorpe, Peterborough, was arrested in 2021 but denied sexually assaulting the girls or inciting them to engage in any sexual activity.
He also denied having a sexual interest in children.
Thompson continued to deny any wrongdoing but stood trial at Huntingdon Law Courts in August.
After a little over five hours, jurors found him guilty of five offences by majority verdict, including inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and two counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching.
He was sentenced at the same court on Friday (14 November) where he was handed 13 years in prison.
DC Fiona Bagshaw, who investigated, said: “I hope this outcome brings some closure for Thompson’s victims, and allows them to move forward with their lives.
“Child abuse comes in many different forms and can affect anyone. It’s everyone’s responsibility to help stop the abuse and tell someone, whether you’re a victim, friend or adult.
“We encourage all members of the public to be aware of adults who pay an unusual amount of attention to a child. Sharing any concerns, no matter how small, can make all the difference.
“This case also highlights that no matter when it happened or is reported, we take reports of this nature extremely seriously and will always endeavour to do all we can to protect children and seek justice.”