A Carrickfergus man who was convicted of child sex offences in the 1970s was sentenced today (Friday) at Belfast Crown Court to five and a half years’ imprisonment.
Wilson Holland (66) was initially convicted of the child sex offences in 2017.
Holland appealed the verdict in April last year, and following a retrial, he was again found guilty of the sexual abuse of two young girls who were between seven and ten years old at the time of the abuse.
A five and a half year sentence was handed down today – three and a half to be served in custody and two to be served on licence for the 14 counts of indecent assault on the two women.
He has also been disqualified from working with vulnerable groups, including children, for life and will sign the sex offenders’ register for life upon release from prison.
Detective Chief Inspector Tracey Mageean from PSNI Public Protection Branch said the victims had to carry this burden for decades before feeling able to come forward.
“Whilst nothing will compensate for the abuse that they endured, I hope it gives them some measure of comfort that the perpetrator has been found guilty by a jury, not once but twice,” said the Detective Chief Inspector.
The Detective Chief Inspector said Holland has never shown any remorse for his actions.
“Despite being convicted of the offences, he never accepted his guilt and he subjected his victims to the stress of going through a retrial. The two victims involved displayed enormous courage in recounting their experiences both times.
“PSNI Public Protection Branch is committed to investigating all reports of sexual offences against children and young people. Regardless of when an offence took place, we will seek to place offenders before the courts so they can be made amenable for their crimes. We have specially trained officers who will treat all victims with sensitivity and respect,” added the Detective Chief Inspector.
