Alan Torr

Alan Torr, a 78-year-old predatory paedophile, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court for a series of historic sexual offences committed against a young girl in Sheffield when she was between three and five years old. The abuse came to light decades later after the victim disclosed it to a teacher during a sex education lesson at school, where she appeared visibly upset and agitated.

The court heard that Torr, who was already serving a 16-year prison sentence imposed in 2023 for sex offences against two other children, admitted to six further charges, including causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and assaulting a girl under 13 by touching. Prosecutor Laura Marshall detailed how Torr forced the young child to touch him through holes he had cut into pairs of jogging bottoms, exploiting her vulnerability before she reached the age of six.

In a powerful victim impact statement read to the court, the complainant addressed Torr directly, questioning his actions: "Did you think I was too young to be able to remember what you did to me?" She described the profound impact of the abuse, stating, "You've made me feel worthless, you've made me feel like I don't deserve a childhood… You were willing to ruin a little girl's life for your own benefit." The victim also revealed that the trauma had led her to attempt suicide.

Judge Thomas noted that Torr had the opportunity to disclose these offences during his 2023 sentencing for the prior abuses but failed to do so. Despite Torr's expressions of remorse and poor health, including Parkinson's disease, which has left him isolated in custody, the judge deemed a concurrent sentence unrealistic given the extreme psychological trauma inflicted on the victim. Torr, now residing at HMP Marshgate in Doncaster, was handed an additional four years behind bars, made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, and required to remain on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

The case was investigated by South Yorkshire Police, with the victim entitled to lifelong anonymity. Torr's response to the allegations reportedly included disappointment over delayed release prospects, as highlighted by the prosecution. This sentencing underscores the long-lasting effects of child sexual abuse and the justice system's commitment to addressing historic crimes, as reported by The Star on 15 April 2026.