Description
Regarded as one of the most abhorrent crimes in the North East, on December 27, 2005, Peter Voisey abducted a six-year-old girl from her bath in Wallsend, North Tyneside, subjected her to two sexual assaults, and abandoned her naked in a snowy back lane. The attack shocked the local community and the nation.
Voisey was linked to the crime via partial shoe prints on the wet bathroom floor. In 2006, at Newcastle Crown Court, he was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years, with the judge warning he might never be released.
This week, Chronicle Live reported that after his sixth parole review, the 54-year-old was deemed unsafe for release by the Parole Board, which also rejected a move to an open prison.
The Full Story of Peter Voisey: Every Parent's Nightmare
Predator Profile
Depraved Peter Voisey fit the classic predatory sex offender mold—abused as a child, he became an abuser. He targeted the innocent six-year-old, snatching her from her bath to rape and molest her before dumping her in the cold.
He had a prior conviction for indecently assaulting a 12-year-old girl in a leisure centre changing room in 2001. At his 2006 sentencing, his troubled childhood and teen record emerged: at 15, he coerced a young girl into burgling her mother's home, but she eventually broke free.
Voisey knew every alley and shortcut in Willington Quay and Wallsend, using the area for vehicle break-ins and arson.
Criminal Background
Born July 5, 1971, in London, Voisey lived in Bristol before moving to the North East at age four. His mother Alice lived on Savory Road but separated from his tyrannical father Bill; both are deceased. Voisey claimed mistreatment by his father and was placed at Hesley Hall boarding school near Doncaster from ages nine to 15.
His petty crimes escalated during Tyneside visits. He worked in hotels nationwide, as a driver, motor mechanic, and briefly as a pizza delivery operative, but was on benefits at arrest.
2001 Indecent Assault
Four years before the abduction, under the alias Peter Smith, Voisey assaulted a girl in Macclesfield Leisure Centre's changing rooms after stalking others. Living in Crawley Road, Wallsend, he was sentenced to three years at Chester Crown Court in 2002.
Acquittals and Arrests
At 24, using Peter Smith, Voisey was acquitted of indecently assaulting three boys in Hodgkin Park, Newcastle's West End, while living in Scotswood.
In August 2003, he was arrested for assaulting four boys camping in Benridge Park, Blyth, but released due to insufficient evidence.
The Bath Abduction
On December 27, 2005, in Willington Quay, Voisey entered the flat, silenced the bathing girl (whose mother was nearby putting her brother to bed), and drove her away in his red Vauxhall Astra. After 15 minutes of assaults, he left her in a freezing alley near home.
She was found sobbing by Geoffrey Brown on Armstrong Road. He said: "It's this time of year when the memories come flooding back. There was snow on the ground and I couldn't get my head around why she didn't have any clothes on. It was when I wrapped her up and brought her in that she told me a man had taken her out of her bath and took her away.
"I was later told what had actually happened and it makes my stomach churn. She must have gone through hell. It makes you wonder about other people's psyche."
Diary and Motive
Police suspected Voisey was burgling when he saw the girl and acted impulsively. He claimed he was buying cannabis, but friends wouldn't corroborate. His diary entry for December 27 read: "Phew, it's over. Chill now."
Imprisonment
Convicted of rape, sexual assault, and abduction, Voisey (also known as Peter Smith) received a minimum 10-year sentence. Jurors wept hearing the girl's ordeal; the judge warned of possible lifelong imprisonment.
Recent Parole Denial
In the latest review, the Parole Board summary stated: "After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public."
Risk factors included instability, relationship difficulties, poor friendships, and substance misuse. Voisey denied sexual attraction to children, but the panel noted his attitudes toward sexual behavior as relevant to risk.
He completed programs and engaged with a psychologist, but maintained innocence, hindering full understanding of his behavior.