The pedophile who said he would not survive his prison sentence died behind bars

A predatory pedophile who raped and molested two boys, then told a court they were lying, has died while serving a prison sentence.

Alan Wolten “systematically abused” a traumatized victim, raping her at the age of 12 when she was in her 40s. Wolten, who was 81 when he appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, hit the terrified child with a belt and repeatedly forced him to perform vicious sex acts. The pensioner also targeted a second boy, aged 15 at the time, touching him in the back of a car while three unsuspecting adults were present.

Wolten denied any wrongdoing and claimed his two victims were lying, forcing them to relive the trauma. But he was unanimously found guilty by a jury of rape and seven counts of indecent assault. The court heard in April 2018, Wolten had Alzheimer’s disease with a “reduced life expectancy”.

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As he was jailed for 14 years, with an extended license year, Judge David Aubrey KC told the pedophile: “I have regard to your life expectancy. and I take into account this fact, that you will die in prison”.

A report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman published last month has now confirmed that Wolten died in hospital on November 10, 2023, while still a prisoner at HMP Liverpool. The report says Wolten died of esophageal cancer at the age of 86.

Wolten was sent to HMP Liverpool following his conviction, where his diagnosis of dementia was noted during his initial medical examination. In April 2019, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and the following month refused chemotherapy because he felt it would have a negative impact on his quality of life. Wolten was offered surgery to remove a tumor, but decided in November to begin radiation therapy.

He was hospitalized during 2021 and 2022 for appointments at the urology department. His condition was noted as “remarkably stable” during a visit to his family doctor on 9 December 2022, but by January, medical staff told a prison family doctor that they had noticed a general deterioration in Wolten and that he he seemed more confused.

Following an examination last October, Wolten was given a full examination, in which a GP noted that he would not be surprised if the 86-year-old died within the next 12 months. He was noted to be more confused when given medication and was taken to A&E the next day due to general deterioration, vomiting and risk of dehydration.

By Oct. 24 — and after an IV line was attached for aspiration pneumonia — a liaison officer was assigned to Wolten’s family. The next day, the hospital told medical staff that Wolten was nearing the end of his life and could die within seven days. They said his daughter was informed of his admission to hospital and a CPR order was put in place not to attempt it.

An application was made for Wolten’s early release from prison on compassionate grounds, but he died in hospital before the application could be completed. An inquest held on 14 November concluded that Wolten died of natural causes. Clinical reviews of his treatment in HMP Liverpool concluded that it was “partially equivalent”, while mental health support went beyond what might have been expected in the community.

In any case,. the report noted that despite his age, frailty and cancer diagnosis, there was no evidence that a discussion had taken place about his end-of-life care planning. The report also found there was no record of the family liaison officer contacting Wolten’s family before he died.

The officer told the ombudsman that at the time of her appointment she was undergoing a training course and was then on annual leave. On her return, she was told that Wolten had been visited twice by his family, but she had not contacted them since. The officer contacted his relatives two days after his death. The Ombudsman recommended that the Governor of HMP Liverpool review the process to ensure that arrangements can be made in a timely manner.

During his sentencing comments, Judge Aubrey said Wolten destroyed the life of the first victim, who, while giving evidence, said his “head was a mess.” The judge said: “Life has been unbearable. He has been harboring such thoughts, anxiety and anguish for years.

“You took her innocence, destroyed her childhood and did much more than that. You scarred your victim emotionally and psychologically for the rest of her life.” The judge told Wolten that the attack on the other vulnerable child was “illustrious for your predatory behavior but also for the fact that you perceived yourself to be invincible, such was the egregiousness and audacity of your act”.

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