May 2014
Former Grimsby and Cleethorpes RAF group boss jailed for child sex abuse
THE former chairman of the RAF Association in Grimsby and Cleethorpes has been jailed for sexually abusing a young girl.
Bill McCann, best known for organising the annual Armed Forces Day celebrations in Cleethorpes, has been locked up for more than five years after a court heard the young girl was left with “a scar and an indelible memory” that blighted her life.
McCann, 67, of Kingsway, Cleethorpes, denied five offences of indecently assaulting a girl, but was convicted by a jury after a trial at Grimsby Crown Court.
Judge Kate Buckingham told McCann that the victim had been left “stunned and shocked” by the offences but he “behaved as if nothing had happened”.
The offences were “persistent” and the abuse “blighted her adolescence” and had a significant effect on her.
“The abuse was a scar and an indelible memory,” said Judge Buckingham.
The victim had said the abuse had a “deep impact” on her that no child should have to endure in their life.
She had felt worthless, suffered from low self-esteem and depression and needed counselling.
McCann, referred to as William in Court, had always been a hard-working man and had done good voluntary work for the RAF Association, helping ex-servicemen and their families, said Judge Buckingham.
References were produced during the trial.
Richard Dawson, mitigating, said there had been no repetition of the offences and no other criminal behaviour.
“He continues to deny his involvement within these offences,” said Mr Dawson.
He added that McCann had done work for local organisations and voluntary work.
McCann was jailed for five years and three months.
He was given an indefinite sexual offences prevention order and must register as a sex offender indefinitely.
He was also given an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting the victim.
After the hearing, the current chairman of Grimsby and Cleethorpes RAF Association, Graham Malster, said McCann had resigned from his RAFA position in November due to ill health, and had not been connected to the association since.
Gavin Marshall, RAF Association vice-chairman and a member of the Armed Forces committee in North East Lincolnshire, expressed his shock.
He said McCann had given up his role on the Armed Forces committee on health grounds last July.
He said: “We were disappointed because he had been part of the association for a long time and what he had achieved was very positive. To suffer losing such a driving force was quite sad but for us but we had to move on, we have done that, and everything is working quite successfully.
“This has come completely and utterly out of the blue. We are shocked and surprised. We are finding it hard to believe because he was seen as a pillar of the community.”
