SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY THE SAME MAN

Three women banded together to stop a predator

- MOIRA HOLDEN AND RICHARD FLEURY

As retirement approaches, many women look to immerse themselves in new hobbies. New friendships are made, new activities attempted, and a new enjoyment gained from joining in.

Three women from Kent wanted to kick up their heels and go dancing, and to exercise their vocal cords, so they signed up to local musical groups. But one by one they were targeted by a man who appeared to be a champion of the community - but in fact, town crier Jack Wahlberg was a sexual predator. Here, the friends tell Woman's Own how they brought a sex offender to justice.

'I was terrified he was going to rape me'

Frances Beaumont, 79, is a retired occupational therapist.

I was 72, divorced, with two grown-up children when I joined the Kent Country Folk Dancing group. I loved dancing but fancied doing more singing too, so when fellow member Jack Wahlberg, then 70, offered to give me a lift to a choir he was involved in, I jumped at the chance.

I'd seen him around, dressed in his colourful town-crier regalia. His wife was also in the folk dance group. In May 2016, I travelled with the group to a festival in Belgium. But one morning, I stepped into the lift after breakfast and suddenly Jack was beside me.

UNWANTED ADVANCES

He moved towards me and stroked my upper arms. I froze. What was he doing? I was horrified. He was married. Those silent seconds in that lift felt like hours, but as soon as the door opened, I ran to my room. I prayed it was a one-off. Surely once he saw I wasn't interested, there would be no more nonsense from him.

But back in England, in the car after choir one night, he said he wanted us to be 'special friends'. 'I am not interested,' I told him vehemently. He seemed to understand, and I hoped that we could draw a line under it.