John Trow

John Trow, a convicted child sex offender from Bolton, was sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2016 following his conviction at Bolton Crown Court for a series of horrific sexual crimes committed against a young girl in the 1990s.

The offences occurred over a three-year period during the 1990s. Trow was found guilty of one count of rape and six counts of indecent assault. At the time of his trial, the 63-year-old offender, formerly residing on Bromwich Street in The Haulgh area of Bolton, was deemed a criminal of particular concern by Judge Elliott Knopf. The judge imposed an 11-year sentence for the rape and an additional eight years for the indecent assaults, totalling 19 years. Unlike standard practice, Trow was not eligible for automatic release after serving half his term; instead, after nine-and-a-half years, a parole board would determine if release was appropriate. He was also required to serve two years on licence following the completion of his sentence.

Trow began serving his sentence immediately upon conviction in 2016. He was imprisoned at HMP Wymott in Leyland, Lancashire. On 8 January 2025, at the age of 71, Trow died in custody from aspiration pneumonia, classified as natural causes. A report by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman, authored by Adrian Usher, investigated the circumstances of his death. The clinical reviewer concluded that the healthcare provided to Trow at HMP Wymott was equivalent to community standards, with appropriate care plans, regular monitoring, and compassionate treatment by competent staff. No recommendations were made regarding clinical care, and no non-clinical issues of concern were identified.

The inquest into Trow's death confirmed that he died of natural causes. The Prison and Probation Ombudsman, an independent body responsible for investigating deaths in custody, found the overall handling of Trow's case in prison to be satisfactory. At the time of his death, Trow had served nearly nine years of his 19-year sentence.

Source: The Bolton News, reporting on the Prison and Probation Ombudsman report by Adrian Usher. Quote from report: 'The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Trow received at Wymott was equivalent to what he could have expected to receive in the community.'