Anthony Singleton, an 84-year-old man from Strawberry Avenue in Manningtree, Essex, was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court for historical child sexual offences committed in the 1970s while living on Canvey Island in south Essex.
The abuse began when the victim was around ten years old in the early 1970s. Singleton targeted the young girl, subjecting her to acts of gross indecency and indecency with a child. The victim reported the abuse to police in 2017, but the case faced significant delays due to questions over Singleton's fitness to stand trial, stemming from his diagnosed dementia.
A consultant psychiatrist, commissioned by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), examined Singleton twice—once in spring 2024 and again in autumn 2025. Despite his dementia diagnosis, the expert observed no cognitive decline between the assessments and suspected malingering. During the 2025 examination, the doctor administered a test, concluding that Singleton had provided false responses to feign the extent of his impairment. The psychiatrist deemed him fit to enter pleas and stand trial, noting that the initial dementia diagnosis may not have accounted for the possibility of feigning due to lack of knowledge about the proceedings.
Weeks before his trial was set to begin, Singleton entered a plea bargain. He denied two more serious charges but admitted to one count of gross indecency with a child and two counts of indecency with a child. This agreement spared the victim from testifying in court. The victim described the abuse as 'horrendous and mentally ruinous', detailing its lifelong impact including panic attacks, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, and difficulties in sexual relationships. She told the court on 13 January 2026: 'From report to court, it has been over eight gruelling years, which has had an immense strain on my health and wellbeing. The abuse had a devastating effect on my whole life.'
Judge Shane Collery KC, presiding at Basildon Crown Court, imposed a 67-week custodial sentence, refusing to suspend it despite the lenient sentencing guidelines for child sexual abuse offences from the 1970s. The judge remarked that Singleton was constrained by the historical sentencing powers but emphasised societal accountability: 'The simple reality is that he did commit sexual offences against a child… Those who spoke about his kindness need to take a step back and consider that child. The point has come where society requires that he pays for those behaviours.' As Singleton was led to the cells, a voice from the public gallery shouted, 'Rot in hell!'
Defence barrister Adam Norris argued that Singleton had never offended against other children and described him as a 'model citizen' aside from the 'aberration' in the 1970s. Norris conveyed Singleton's remorse: 'He accepts that over 50 years ago, he did wrong by the victim in this case and he is remorseful for that. He wishes to say in this most public of forums that he is sincerely sorry for what he did over 50 years ago.' Singleton was supported in court by his wife, children, and friends, who provided character references expressing disbelief in his guilt. However, the judge urged them to accept his guilty pleas.
The case was reported exclusively by Charles Thomson, Crime & Investigations Reporter for The Echo, highlighting the challenges in prosecuting historical abuse cases amid health-related defences.