Birmingham man jailed nearly 50 years after sexually abusing young girl
The man was convicted of a series of sexual offences against children
A Birmingham man who sexually abused a young girl in the city has been jailed.
Michael Wisdom was convicted of a series of sexual offences against children, as well as possession of indecent images, in April this year.
At Birmingham Crown Court on Monday (July 13) he was also sentenced to 12 years in prison, with a further eight years on licence after his release. He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 20 years and he will remain on the sex offenders register for life.
Wisdom, aged 67, was reported after the girl, who he abused in Birmingham in 1979, came forward last year to report historic sexual abuse.
Following an investigation, Wisdom was arrested at his home in Birmingham in late 2025.
When officers arrived, Wisdom tried to destroy his mobile phone, which was later confirmed to contain dozens of indecent images of children including category A images (the most severe category).
The investigation also found messages from Wisdom to a woman discussing abusing a girl.
Wisdom denied all the offences in interview but offered no alternative explanation and was charged with indecent assault and possession of indecent images.
West Midlands Police said: “Thanks to the survivors' accounts, we were able to build a case against Wisdom and secure justice for them, with Wisdom being convicted on 27 April.
“Our specialist non-recent RASSO [rape and serious sexual offences] team within our Public Protection Unit investigate all reports of sex offences, no matter how long ago they took place.
“You can report a sexual assault or rape that happened at any time to us, even if it was months, years or decades ago. We take every report seriously, no matter how much time has passed.”
The force added: “We understand that there are lots of reasons why someone might not feel ready to tell anyone about what has happened right away.
“We also know it is common for survivors to take time to realise that what has happened is a crime.”