Cheshire: Man who sexually abused children sentenced to 30 years in prison

A man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for “cruel and degrading” sexual crimes against children.

According to Cheshire Police, Eric Mottershead, of Congleton and of no fixed address, abused his victims over a six-year period from 2001.

In a trial at Chester Crown Court, he was found guilty of 29 of the 35 charges against him and sentenced on Friday.

Mottershead will also have to serve an additional two years’ probation and will be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

In addition, the 60-year-old, who has committed crimes including rape and sexual assault, is subject to a restraining order and an order for protection against sexual abuse.

He was arrested after one of the people he abused as a child reported it to police in 2020.

A total of four victims were identified and during each interview Mottershead denied the allegations and claimed they were fabricated, Cheshire Police said.

The evidence proved otherwise, police said, but due to its complexity it took until 2024 for the case to come to court.

The officer leading the investigation, Sergeant Lee Ferris, transferred police officers during the case but refused to hand them over and remained in contact with the victims.

“I would like to thank the victims for their courage in coming forward and speaking about the abuse they have suffered,” the official said.

“Mottershead is now paying the price for abusing them as children and committing cruel and degrading acts against them.”