UPDATE: |Remorseless paedophile dies in Strangeways prison News

Kenneth Barnes died aged 85

A remorseless paedophile died in Strangeways prison after being brought to justice years after committing his crimes.

Kenneth Barnes, from Wythenshawe, died at HMP Manchester in March last year, aged 85. He was jailed for nine years in 2018 for sexually abusing a young girl in the 1990s.

Barnes, who was 79 when he was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court, told the girl that she wasn’t allowed to play with her friends and that she had been naughty, before assaulting her.

He was found guilty of seven counts of sexual assault.

After the sentencing hearing, PC Cheryl Williams, from GMP’s Public Protection Investigation Unit said: “Kenneth Barnes preyed upon an innocent little girl and forced her to do things that have affected her into adulthood.

“Police launched an investigation and during a search of his house photos of the victim as a little girl were found in Barnes’ possession.

“Barnes continues to deny all charges, but was found guilty by unanimous decision. I would like to commend the victim for her bravery during the police investigation and trial. I hope today’s result helps her move on from the horrors she was put through as child.”

News of Barnes’ death came as a report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman was published this week. An inquest was held into Barnes’ death in October last year, which concluded he had died as a result of natural causes.

The ombudsman report said: “In October 2018, Mr Kenneth Barnes was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for sexual offences. Mr Barnes died of aspiration pneumonia (lung infection) and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) on 25 March 2024, while a prisoner at HMP Manchester.

“He was 85 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Barnes’ family and friends. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr Barnes’ clinical care at HMP Manchester.

“The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Barnes received at Manchester was of a good standard and equivalent to what he could have expected to receive in the community. The clinical reviewer made recommendations not related to Mr Barnes’ death that the Head of Healthcare will wish to address.

“The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Barnes’ care. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern. We make no recommendations.”

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