‘Bizarre’ ex-soldier admits abducting boy of 12
A FORMER soldier is facing a jail sentence for child abduction after he persuaded a boy of 12 and other children back to his house to drink booze – convincing the lad’s parents he was a parent.
Anthony Lingard, 38, allowed his victim and other children to come to his home in Radcliffe, where he was said to be known for teaching local children about nature and how to build dens, a court was told.
The victim’s father said he was ‘disgusted’ at Lingard, a childless loner who was a soldier in the Welsh Fusiliers and also worked as a PCSO in Eccles and as a firefighter in Ramsbottom.
Lingard gave the boys ‘free rein’ at his home where they were allowed to stay over, drink alcohol and vape, prosecutor Nicola Carroll told Manchester Crown Court.
The defendant would buy alcohol for his visitors, take them on camping trips and even told his young victim he could bring his girlfriend, the court was told.
“In fact the boys were allowed to do what they wanted to do at the defendant’s house and so they returned time and time again,” Ms Carroll told the court.
His victim told his parents that Lingard was the father of a friend who would also visit the house, she said.
During one camping trip, Lingard allowed the boys to drink, play drinking games and he slept with them in the tent – his victim became ‘drunk’ while situation made the youngster feel ‘uncomfortable,’ said the prosecutor.
Ms Carroll said the defendant was ‘complicit in the deception’ – when he spoke to his victim’s father he continued the pretence of being the father of one of the boy’s friends.
For each visit his son was planning to make to Lingard’s home, the victim’s father would phone Lingard ‘to check it was OK’ that his son could come around.
The father even visited himself on one occasion but Lingard remained inside the house and spoke to the father through a window ‘furthering the deception,’ said the prosecutor.
The father grew to ‘trust’ Lingard and instead of phoning or visiting he would text to ensure the planned visit was OK – visits which ‘would not have been allowed’ had he known what was happening, the court heard.
Lingard also told his victim’s mother he was the of father her son’s friend.
News of the visits ‘got out’ at the victim’s school and teachers ‘raised the alarm’ by calling in the police.
Lingard, who has no previous convictions, was arrested and in his police interview he admitted his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had visited his home and he accepted he had also taken him and his friends camping. However, he denied that the boy was allowed to drink and deceiving the lad’s parents.
The father said his son had suffered with ‘anxiety’ and had become ‘very quiet’ in school. He added: “Our bright, beautiful boy has now disappeared.” The father added that it ‘terrified’ him that he could have been ‘so naive.’ Of Lingard, he said: “He groomed and manipulated a young boy by allowing him to do things he knew were illegal for a boy of that age.”
He described how his wife suffered ‘sleepless nights’ and ‘anxiety’ watching her son ‘go through so much pain and hurt.’ He added: “I feel like I have failed my son.”
Andrew Evans, defending, admitted it was a ‘very unusual case.’ He said his client had been under investigation for two years and he had been investigated for alleged sex offences. He pointed out his client had not been charged with any sex offences. The barrister said the ‘lie’ had started with the boy although his client ‘acknowledged’ his part in the deception.
Judge Angela Nield expressed concern about the motivation for Lingard’s crimes and adjourned sentencing until September 9 for a specialist report from a psychologist or psychiatrist.
She described the defendant’s behaviour as ‘frankly bizarre.’ She said she could still decide to jail Lingard and must consider a prosecution application for a sexual harm prevention order.
Lingard, of Schofield Street, Radcliffe, pleaded guilty to five counts of child abduction concerning one boy between July 2019 and January 2020.
He admitted the offences on the basis his victim had chosen to lie to him although he conceded he ‘went along with the deception’ by telling the boy’s parents he was the father of his friend.
He groomed and manipulated a young boy by allowing him to do things he knew were illegal Victim’s dad