Dan Boultwood pleaded guilty to sexual offenses involving a minor

The following article discusses grooming and sexual offenses involving a minor.

On July 30, 2026, British former comic book artist Dan Boultwood (Chu, Doctor Who) was given a suspended sentence, after pleading guilty to “three counts of sexual activity with a child”. The judge ruled that Boultwood, 45, had groomed and abused his victim Maddie Williams in 2010, when she was 15, and he was 29.

They granted him a suspended sentence of three years’ imprisonment, citing how he had showed remorse for his behavior, engaged in therapy, was in a currently stable relationship, and held no other convictions, all of which indicated he was unlikely to reoffend. His guilty plea meant a charge of rape was “left on the file”.

Williams, who was granted anonymity during the case, disclosed her identity in an Instagram post and Bluesky thread on Saturday, September 26, saying, “Some concerned people have warned me against waiving that right, lest I become defined by this experience or face some kind of backlash. I completely understand that concern. But I’ve already been defined by this experience for 16 years, and even more so by the secrecy, silence and suppressing of it. I protected Dan by not speaking about what happened, and it’s only really him who’ll benefit if I continue being quiet. I’ve spent enough of my life protecting him.”

She expressed disappointment over the lack of coverage from comics sites about his sentencing. While she acknowledged Boultwood “may not be a big name and had been working less in the industry in recent years, much of his work was made for children and young adults. Surely his conviction could prompt reflection and conversations about the safety of the industry. Dan certainly wasn’t the only adult who pursued me when I was a teenager attending MCM [London Comic Con, where they first spoke to each other].”

She continues, saying, “I don’t know if Dan victimised any other children. The police found no evidence to support that he had. But if there’s no reporting, and no public conversation about him and his crimes, any further victims, if they exist, might never find out that they weren’t alone. The public silence may send out a message more broadly as well, that these crimes are not something to be spoken about, or that the industry doesn’t care. So if no-one else is going to speak about my case, I guess I’ll have to do it myself.”

 
 
 
 
 
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Boultwood’s last comics credit was Rebellion’s revival of the children’s magazine Monster Fun, which ran from 2022 to 2024. He was arrested in 2025, two years after Williams reported him to the police, and described himself to the authorities as having left the industry. Prior to his arrest, he had planned a webcomic titled Rockets & Rayguns.

The judge felt he had been undergoing rehabilitation for some time, and that immediately incarcerating him would impede the progress he was making in therapy and his personal relationships. He will be imprisoned if he reoffends in the next two years. His sentence included 30 days of required rehabilitation activity, and other unspecified unpaid work.

Williams, who is an illustrator, says she hopes to speak to any other possible victims of Boultwood, and recommends support and rected: Rape Crisis England & Wales, Barnado’s, the NSPCC, Secrets Worth Sharing, the Marie Collins Foundation, and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. Readers in the States can use RAINN, or call the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673

rown Court), Maddie Williams’s Instagram post/Bluesky thread