A HIGH-RISK registered sex offender has been sentenced for a second time after admitting sexually assaulting a young girl over a period of years in Wigan.
Peter Hawke (06/12/1955) pleaded guilty to ten counts of sexual assault of a girl under the age of 13 by touching and was sentenced to six years at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday 8 September 2026.
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In addition to his custodial sentence, Hawke will be subject to a Notification of Requirement to Register with Police indefinitely, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict Hawke's future contact with children, and a restraining order to protect the survivor and her immediate family.
The child, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, disclosed the abuse, which took place on multiple occasions between 2021 and 2023, after Hawke had already been imprisoned for separate sexual offences against another girl.
Following the girl's disclosure, specialist officers from Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation, working closely with partner agencies including the Sexual Offender Management Unit (SOMU), probation services and safeguarding professionals.
Through sensitive victim engagement, a video-recorded interview and extensive enquiries, officers gathered evidence showing that Hawke had repeatedly sexually assaulted the child.
Detectives progressed the investigation while Hawke was serving a five-year custodial sentence for similar offences.
Following extensive planning with partner agencies ahead of his release from HMP Risley, officers arrested Hawke at the prison gates on 25 June 2026. He was subsequently interviewed, charged and remanded back into custody the same day.
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The investigation was led by Child Protection Detective Constable Sarah Gleave, working alongside colleagues from the Sexual Offender Management Unit (SOMU), probation services and safeguarding partners. Their coordinated approach secured the evidence required to bring Hawke before the courts while ensuring comprehensive safeguarding measures remained in place at every stage.
Due to his history of sexual offending against children, SOMU assessed Hawke as posing a very high risk of harm. Officers noted significant concerns regarding the ongoing risk he posed within the community, together with his lack of remorse and absence of empathy for those he harmed.
Detective Constable Gleave, of GMP's Safeguarding Unit, said: "I'd like to thank the young girl at the centre of this, who showed immense courage in speaking about what had happened to her. Thanks to her bravery, the support of her family and the close collaboration between police, probation, SOMU and other safeguarding partners, we were able to build a strong evidential case and bring Hawke before the courts again.
"We carefully planned his arrest so that the moment he was released from prison he was taken straight back into custody to answer for these further offences.
"The evidence gathered during the investigation resulted in Hawke pleading guilty to all ten offences and enabled a swift charge and remand while continuing to safeguard those affected.
"We would ask everyone to be mindful of the real impact that rumours, speculation and social media comments can have. The young girl in this case is entitled to lifelong anonymity, and we urge people not to identify or speculate about any child connected to these offences.
"Victims and their families deserve privacy, dignity and the opportunity to move forward with their lives."
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