Kenneth Booth

A 65-year-old man from Longridge, Lancashire, has pleaded guilty to a series of serious sexual offences against young girls, avoiding a scheduled trial at Preston Crown Court.

Kenneth Booth, of Towneley Road, initially denied 19 charges during a hearing in July. The charges included 14 counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14, three counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, one count of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration, and one count of sexual assault of a female. However, in October, Booth changed his pleas and admitted guilt to 12 counts on the indictment, which were accepted by the prosecution. The remaining counts were ordered to lie on file.

Booth had been due to stand trial starting on 8 December at Preston Crown Court, but the trial was vacated following his guilty pleas. Court staff confirmed that he pleaded guilty to one specific count of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, with no penetration involved, among the accepted charges.

Following the plea change, Booth was remanded in custody as before, pending his sentencing hearing scheduled for 15 December at Preston Crown Court. The offences, which involved the sexual abuse of girls under the age of 14, highlight the severity of the case, though specific details of the incidents and timelines were not disclosed in court proceedings reported by the Lancashire Telegraph.

This case was reported by trainee digital reporter Nat Goodlad for the Lancashire Telegraph, based on information from Preston Crown Court. No further comments were available from the prosecution or defence at the time of reporting.