Man, 73, jailed for historical child sex abuse

A man who worked at a former children's home has been jailed for 13 years for sexually abusing a child in his care.

Willy John Gillham, 73, of Camberley, Surrey, was found guilty of buggery and indecent assault against a boy under 16 at a trial at Winchester Crown Court earlier this month.

Gillham committed the offences between 1981 and 1982, while he was working at the former Palmerston House children's home on Botley Road, Romsey, in Hampshire, police said.

He was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Monday.

Palmerston House had already closed prior to a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary investigation, police said.

The court heard Gillham had previously been jailed in 2017 after being found guilty of raping a boy at the home in the 1980s, the force said.

He served seven-and-a-half years of a 15-year sentence.

Police said in 2023, a man reported that he too had been assaulted by Gillham when he was a child under his care at Palmerston House.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said it opened a new investigation, and Gillham was interviewed in prison.

Weeks after his release, he was served with a postal requisition to attend court and faced charges for the newly-reported offences.

Following his sentencing, Det Cons Craig Rainsley said: "Gillham's victim was in a setting where he should have been safe and cared for, but Gillham abused his authority and betrayed him in the worst way possible."

He said the victim had shown "great courage" in speaking with police and commended his bravery throughout the investigation and trial.

He added: "I hope this encourages other members of our community who have experienced such abuse to come forward.

"It doesn't matter how long ago it was, you will be listened to and we will investigate."

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