Serial sex offender Alex Westwood's criminality started before 10-years-old - but how often does this behaviour show in children?
During the trial of Albrighton actor Alexander Westwood last year, the jury learned how his predatory behaviour started before the age of criminal responsibility, leaving many people shocked.
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The 24-year-old rapist, of Holybush Road, Albrighton, is due to be sentenced today (February 25) for 26 counts of sexual offences and breaching his bail conditions.
The jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court took less than two days to find him guilty after a month-long trial that started in November last year. His crimes included sexually abusing a girl multiple times, sexually abusing a boy, raping a teenage actress he was teaching and abusing other pupils.
Westwood's alleged criminality stretches back to before he was ten-years-old - but the first charge related to his tenth birthday - that is the age of when criminality begins in the UK. Prosecutor Andrew Wallace said there could have been "hundreds of charges" if every sexual assault was logged as they occurred at least once a week for seven years.
The young age of his offences left many Star readers shocked and questioning how it is possible that children exhibit this kind of criminal behaviour. We looked into data released under the Freedom of Information Act by West Midlands Police to find out how common this happens.
