Former radio hosts jailed for sex sessions with young boys
A FORMER BBC radio host and his co-presenter wife have been jailed for indecently assaulting young boys in woodland.
Tony and Julie Wadsworth were found guilty of encouraging six boys to take part in sexual activity in Warwickshire between 1992 and 1996.
Sentencing the pair to five years in prison each, Judge Andrew Lockhart QC told Warwick Crown Court that their “grave” offences had caused emotional damage to all the victims.
Their three-week trial had heard the pair had outdoor sex sessions in front of the boys and Mrs Wadsworth would also encourage them to engage in sexual activity while her husband acted as a lookout. Both were convicted by majority verdicts of nine indecent assaults and five counts of outraging decency. Mr Lockhart said Mrs Wadsworth had “groomed” the victims – including a boy aged as young as 11 – and that her spouse was equally culpable.
The judge told the former BBC WM and BBC Radio Leicester presenters from Broughton Astley, Leics: “You were plainly very sexually active with one another. I find that you as a couple decided to move outside your marriage to gain more excitement.
“You, Julie Wadsworth, loved the attention and that young boys were attracted to you. You, Tony Wadsworth, did all you could to encourage her and facilitate the events that the jury have heard about.”
The judge said it would have been “staringly” obvious to anyone that the victims were only young boys. He went on: “I have no doubt that some of the young boys have found themselves carrying some form of burden into adulthood. This is grave offending.”
David Hislop QC, for Mrs Wadsworth, said: “A period of incarceration will be made even more difficult for her, knowing the stigma attached to her convictions will carry on for ever.”
Michelle Clarke, for Mr Wadsworth, said the hardest part of the punishment would be being separated from his wife. She told the court: “His radio life and being with his wife was his life – all of that has come crashing down.”