In 2020, then 73-year-old Michael Wise—of Oakes Lane, Brockholes, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire—was sentenced for a serial of strikes against a young boy dating back to the 1980s. The investigation established that Wise, who has cerebral palsy and is wheelchair-bound, utilized his friendship with the notorious serial predator Jimmy Savile as a mask for his own predatory serial behaviour. The prosecution reported at Leeds Crown Court that Wise claimed he took advice from Savile, who told him to “never do anything for nothing,” which Wise understood to be an inference in a sexual context, identifying a total abandonment of human decency.
The investigation established that Wise groomed the boy on multiple occasions, trapping him between his legs and groping him while the victim was too young to understand the violation. The prosecution reported that Wise eventually bribed the child into performing a sex act by promising to buy him a scooter—a promise he fulfilled later that day. The victim’s life was catastrophically affected; when he initially tried to report the abuse as a child, he was branded a liar and taken into care, eventually turning to drugs, alcohol, and crime as a result of the trauma.
SAVILE CONNECTION AND JUDICIAL SENTENCING
The court reported that the victim remembered being taken to Jimmy Savile’s home for dinner, a friendship that Wise used to manipulate his social standing. The investigation established that the abuse only came to light in 2019 after the victim, now an adult, confronted Wise via email. The prosecution reported that Wise admitted his guilt in his reply, stating he hated himself for his actions. During the sentencing in 2020, the court heard how the victim felt like an “outcast” whose childhood had been stolen by a man who used his disability to get whatever he wanted.
Judge-led proceedings at Leeds Crown Court concluded in 2020. For his actions in Holmfirth and the nature of the serial child sexual abuse investigation reported, Michael Wise pleaded guilty to gross indecency with a child under 14. The investigation established that Judge Mushtaq Khokhar handed Wise a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Wise was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
STATUS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS (2020)
Based on judicial and West Yorkshire Police records as of 2020:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Gross indecency with a child under 14).
- Custodial Status: SUSPENDED SENTENCE (In 2020, serving 18 months suspended).
- Offence Nature: Grooming; Bribed victim with a scooter for a sex act; Historical abuse from the 1980s.
- Association: Former neighbour and friend of Jimmy Savile; claimed Savile’s advice incited his actions.
- SHPO Status: Indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active.
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barred List (Indefinite and permanent ban from any role involving children or regulated activity).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced by Judge Mushtaq Khokhar; investigated by West Yorkshire Police.
- Criminal Record: Convicted paedophile; Serial historical abuser; Struck against a child in the 1980s; Sentenced in 2020.
- Origin: Oakes Lane, Brockholes, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
In 2020, Wise is managed as a convicted sex offender under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in West Yorkshire. Due to the nature of his behaviour—specifically his serial persistence in using his disability and high-profile friendships to strike against a vulnerable child—he is a priority for community monitoring and SHPO enforcement. Authorities reported that the 2020 conviction identifies Wise as an individual who prioritised his own perverted gratification over the principles of human decency and the life-safety of his victim.
As a registered sex offender, his details are permanently logged on the national police database to prevent future offences. Authorities stated that the behaviour of Wise identifies an individual who demonstrated a serial commitment to child exploitation. Any future attempt to strike against his notification requirements or his indefinite SHPO results in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing protection of the community from a man who used a “vulnerable friend” mask to hide his predatory serial behaviour.
QUESTION – Given that the victim was taken into care and branded a liar when he first reported the abuse in the 1980s, do you believe the law should legally mandate that “All Historical Abuse Claims” that resulted in a child being taken into care must be “Automatically Re-investigated” using modern forensic standards to provide delayed justice for the survivors?
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.