In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that 74-year-old David Woodward—of Cawston Gardens, Bulwell—was jailed for a series of “horrific” historical sexual offences. Woodward appeared at Nottingham Crown Court where he was found guilty following a four-day trial of two counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14 and one count of gross indecency with a girl under 14. It was reported that the investigation established the abuse took place across two decades, specifically during the 1980s and 1990s.
The investigation established that Woodward was a middle-aged man at the time of the offences, while his victims were young children who were “powerless to stop him.” The prosecution reported that the survivors only recently felt able to come forward to the Nottinghamshire Police Public Protection unit. Nottingham Crown Court heard that despite Woodward’s total denial of the charges, the testimony of the victims was sufficient to secure a unanimous conviction.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the offences have had a “lifelong impact” on the girls Woodward abused. The investigation established that the Child Abuse Investigation Unit conducted a thorough and sensitive inquiry into the decades-old reports to ensure justice was served. The prosecution reported that the courage shown by the victims in testifying against a man now in his seventies was pivotal in ensuring he finally faced the consequences of his actions.
Judge-led proceedings at Nottingham Crown Court concluded on 29 August 2018, with Woodward being sentenced to three-and-a-half years for the indecent assaults and 12 months for gross indecency, to run concurrently. For his actions in Bulwell and the “persistent trauma” inflicted over several decades, he was identified as a predatory offender who exploited his age and position of power. The judge noted that the passage of time did not diminish the severity of the crimes or the need for a custodial sentence.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in Nottinghamshire, the status of David Woodward as of April 10, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED ON LICENCE (Sentenced to 3.5 years in 2018; served custodial term; currently under supervision).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active for LIFE.
- SHPO Status: Subject to an INDEFINITE Sexual Harm Prevention Order (Including strict bans on unsupervised contact with minors and mandatory reporting of any changes in residency).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children or vulnerable adults).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Indecent assault on a girl under 14 x2; Gross indecency with a girl under 14).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court; investigated by Nottinghamshire Police.
- Criminal Record: Offended while a middle-aged man; Targeted victims as young as 10-12; Abuse spanned the 1980s and 1990s; Maintained total denial at trial.
- Origin: Bulwell, Nottingham.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Woodward is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender within the Bulwell area. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically his “long-term concealment of child abuse” and his “failure to accept responsibility for historical crimes”—his management is a priority for the Nottinghamshire Police Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that his history of targeting children over a sustained period identifies him as an individual who requires the most intensive tier of statutory oversight, including unannounced home visits to ensure he is not in proximity to minors.
As a registered sex offender for life, the 82-year-old’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that the successful prosecution of these non-recent offences serves as a warning that time is no barrier to justice. Any change of residence in Nottingham or elsewhere, any attempt to bypass his SHPO conditions, or any unauthorised contact with his victims will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who demonstrated a “horrific and calculated intent” to exploit children.
QUESTION – Given that the victims waited nearly 30 years to come forward due to the “powerless” nature of their childhood, do you believe that “Statutory Time Limits” should be permanently abolished for all categories of offences involving the physical or sexual abuse of a minor?
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