“Regardless of others present he still thought he could do that to me, as if he thought he was invincible.”
Two brave women who exposed a Merseyside Police veteran as a sexual predator described the devastating impact of his perverted behaviour. Paul Ledwith, 49, sexually assaulted the women while on a night out in Liverpool city centre.
Ledwith, from St Helens, was a 20-year veteran of the force, and was responsible for training new officers. At the time of the assaults, which took place on July 31 and August 1 2020, he had been under investigation at work for inappropriate behaviour with a student.
He denied the offences, but was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault following a trial at Manchester Crown Court. At his sentencing yesterday, one of his victims, who was groped by him in the Navy Bar on Stanley Street, described the married dad-of-one as “like a cat toying with its prey”.
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She said: “Since this happened to me I feel I’m in a permanent sense of alertness all of the time. I’m constantly watching people’s behaviour. This causes me to be anxious and untrusting of people around me. I’m constantly tense. I have not slept well since that time and have awful nightmares. I resist going to bed as that’s when my mind goes into overdrive. I constantly think about how many people were there and how many times I removed his hands from me and tried to get him away from me, with him taking no notice and continuing his pursuit of me. Regardless of others present he still thought he could do that to me, as if he thought he was invincible.”
She described the fear she felt as Ledwith followed her into a ladies toilet, calling her name, as she attempted to hide from him. She said: “I feel I was his target and I worry about what he planned to do to me. This has affected me day to day life to a huge extent as I’m not resting or able to sleep properly. I feel I don’t have the same personality I once had. I’m a different person to who I was three or four years ago.”
She added: “After four years he has had plenty of opportunity to plead guilty but he’s dragged me through this ordeal as if a cat toying with its prey. This has changed my personality. It scares me that one person can have such a negative effect on my everyday life.”
Another woman, who was sexually assaulted twice by Ledwith as she walked down the street, said: “I did tell my partner at the time, who didn’t believe me. This had a massive impact. I withdrew myself from friendship groups and shut down as a coping mechanism.
“Before the incident I was so outgoing, I had no anxiety and I had plenty of men who were friends. I’m a shadow of the person I used to be.”
Sentencing Ledwith to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, Judge Tom Gilbart said: “Your behaviour was wholly reprehensible. These women… were drunkenly preyed upon by you. You drunkenly groped them because your sexual desires were more important than their feelings. You should be utterly ashamed of yourself.”
After the hearing, Merseyside Police Det Chief Insp Andy McCourt said: “This has been a long-running investigation and I’d like to thank both victims for their patience, courage and strength, both in coming forward and staying with a protracted court process. The predatory sexual behaviour of Ledwith has been unmasked, despite his denials and attempts to discredit both victims.
“The actions of Ledwith caused both of his victims fear and distress, and have left longer-lasting effects, including anxiety, all exacerbated by their having to appear at his trial. In persistently touching, propositioning and causing fear to his victims, Ledwith showed a callous disregard for both women, and thought that he would be able to get away with this deeply concerning and criminal behaviour during a night out in the city centre. Witnesses, CCTV and a complex investigation have proved him wrong.”
Ledwith was placed on the College of Policing barred list following a misconduct hearing in May 2021. He resigned from his role before the report was concluded, but would have otherwise been dismissed without notice, Merseyside Police said. The ECHO approached Merseyside Police for Ledwith’s mugshot, but this request was denied. Merseyside Police do not routinely release mugshots for defendants who have received suspended sentences.
