Sentence of Yorkshire paedophile who walked free to be reviewed

Neil Wilson, 41, was handed a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years after he admitted engaging in sexual activity with the child, as well as offences of making indecent images of her and possession of an extreme pornographic image.

Wilson lived in Essex at the time of his offences but has since moved to York.

A row broke out shortly after the case was heard when it emerged that prosecuting barrister Robert Colover had labelled the young girl “predatory” and “sexually experienced.

The Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC, has decided to refer Wilson’s sentence to the Court of Appeal, where three judges will decide whether he should face greater punishment.

A statement from the Attorney General’s Office said: “Having carefully reviewed this case, the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP, has decided to refer the sentence of Neil Wilson to the Court of Appeal for review.

“The case will in due course be heard by three Court of Appeal judges who will decide whether or not the sentence is unduly lenient and whether they should increase it.”

In addition to Mr Colover’s comments, Judge Nigel Peters QC said he had taken into account the way the Wilson’s victim looked and behaved when he sentenced her attacker. Mr Colover had suggested she looked and acted like someone older than 13.

Mr Colover has been suspended from prosecuting sexual offence cases pending a review by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), while Judge Peters’ comments are to be investigated by the Office for Judicial Complaints.

As well as receiving a number of complaints, the CPS was confronted by a petition, which now has more than 50,000 signatures, demanding Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer investigate Mr Colover’s comments.