An Oxfordshire man has been found guilty of sexually abusing a teenage girl in the late 1990s.

John Westland, of Horseshoes Close, Appleton, near Abingdon, was on trial charged with historic child sex offences.

The 61-year-old was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, when she was 13 years of age.

READ MORE: Abingdon man accused of historic child sex assault

Westland denied the offences. 

During the trial, the jury heard the incidents had first been reported to police in the late 1990s, but the victim had not discovered that Westland did not serve a prison sentence until 2022.

“The starting point was I found out he never went to prison,” the victim said. “When I found out he hadn’t gone to prison that’s when I pursued it.”

Westland will be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Monday, December 16. 

Help support trusted local news 

Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/

As a digital subscriber you will get:      

  • Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website   
  • Advert-light access       
  • Reader rewards       
  • Full access to our app

About the author  

Toby is a senior reporter who has a particular interest in covering planning and local government. 

He joined in September 2024 having been a reporter at the Hampshire Chronicle for three years. 

Toby studied at the University of Brighton and can be found on X through the handle @JournoToby