Top West Midlands detective on child sex offence charges

Top West Midlands detective on child sex offence charges

May 30 2010

THE head of a police child abuse investigation unit has been charged with a string of child sex offences.

Detective Inspector Glen Boulton, 45, has been suspended by the West Midlands force after being accused of abusing two young girls in the 1970s and 1980s.



The senior officer, who shortly before his suspension was acting up as Detective Chief Inspector, has previously built up an impeccable record as a child protection officer.

He was manager of Solihull police’s child abuse investigation unit, served on a committee of the local Safeguarding Children Board and had contributed to a Government research paper.

He has been charged with four counts of indecent assault against a person or persons aged under 16, and two counts of indecency with a child.

The offences were allegedly committed between January 1977 and 1982.

Det Insp Boulton appeared at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on May 11, charged with the six offences. The case was adjourned until June 22 at the same court.

The officer, who has also specialised in domestic violence cases in the past, was granted conditional bail.

He has not yet entered a plea and it is thought the case will eventually be heard at a crown court outside the West Midlands region.

Det Insp Boulton has been a policeman for more than 20 years. He formerly headed up Solihull’s community safety bureau and until 2003 was often quoted in the local press commenting on local security issues.

After that he joined Solihull’s public protection unit, a specialised department dedicated to tackling sexual and violent crimes. The aim of these units is to target the offenders involved, while at the same time protecting and supporting victims.

He was latterly promoted to manager of Solihull’s child abuse investigation unit, a post he has held for several years.

From 2008 to February 2010, he was one of two senior West Midlands officers to sit on a sub-committee of Solihull Safeguarding Children Board looking at serious case reviews.

The board is a multi-agency group which focuses on all aspects of child protection policy and work, and also conducts inquiries into suspicious child deaths.

With considerable experience investigating child abuse cases, Det Insp Boulton was among a number of child protection experts asked to contribute their expertise to a Government consultative paper.

The Ministry of Justice document – Government Response to Improving the Criminal Trial Process for Young Witness Consultation – was published in February last year.

The Sunday Mercury spoke to married Det Insp Boulton on the doorstep of his home in a leafy area of Solihull on Friday. Dressed casually in shorts and t-shirt, he appeared shocked and declined to make any comment.

West Midlands Police confirmed that a 45-year-old man was arrested and subsequently charged with serious sexual offences.

A spokesman added: “The individual is a police officer with West Midlands Police and has been suspended from his role. Due to the serious nature of the charges and the fact that legal proceedings are ongoing, it would be inappropriate of us to make any further comment at this time.”

http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2010/05/30/top-west-midlands-detective-on-child-sex-offence-charges-66331-26550692/

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/178190/Top-detective-bailed-on-child-sex-charges

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/05/31/child-abuse-cop-on-kid-sex-charges-115875-22298613/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/birmingham/10198083.stm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1282888/Police-officer-headed-child-abuse-unit-accused-string-sex-offences-young-girls.html