Man who fled to 'paradise' faces child abuse trial

Numerous appeals were made about Mr Burrows, including one on the BBC's Crimewatch programme in 1998

An alleged paedophile wrote that he spent 27 years in "paradise" after he fled to Thailand instead of appearing in court over child sex offences, a jury has heard.

Richard Burrows, formerly of Birmingham, absconded after obtaining a passport in 1997 under a false name, Chester Crown Court heard.

The court was told he abused boys as young as nine as a housemaster at a Cheshire boarding school and as a Scout master in the West Midlands between the late 1960s and mid-1990s.

Mr Burrows admitted 55 out of 105 charges, but denied 50 counts including indecency with a child, indecent assault and an offence type now regarded as rape.

Opening the prosecution, Mark Connor KC said Mr Burrows "admits indecently assaulting and engaging in sexual touching of some of the male children who have been in his care", but said he denied sexually abusing other boys and "any penetrative sexual activity".

Some alleged victims have since died, and none can be named for legal reasons.

Jurors heard Mr Burrows was arrested at his Birmingham home in April 1997 and a search recovered magazines, some stitched inside a jacket, containing images "categorised as the most serious".

Mr Burrows was charged with child sex offences in May 1997 and granted bail, but failed to attend Chester Crown Court that December, leading to a warrant for his arrest, the court heard.

"He had in fact fled to Thailand under the name of Peter Leslie Smith, having cloned an acquaintance's identity and obtained a passport with that false identity," Mr Connor said.

"He was arrested when he attempted to re-enter the UK on 28 March 2024 on the eve of his 80th birthday, having enjoyed 27 years in what he described as 'paradise'."

Mr Burrows was the subject of witness appeals and appeared on the BBC's Crimewatch, which led more complainants to come forward, jurors heard.

He wrote, in emails with his brother as he planned to return to the UK, "not all paedophiles are the same", the court was told.

Richard Burrows wore a grey tracksuit when he appeared in court last year

A "large-ranging" police investigation in the 1990s looked at allegations of sexual abuse in children's homes including at Danesford Approved School in Congleton, where he worked between 1969 and 1971, jurors heard.

Officers looked into Mr Burrows' involvement in the Scouting movement, where he was involved in radio clubs, the prosecutor said.

Mr Connor said Mr Burrows "was able to obtain positions of trust and responsibility, which he breached in the most serious way" with boys aged between nine and 15.

A number of accusers said he woke them at night at Danesford on the pretence they had wet the bed, and took them to the toilets where he abused them, the jury was told.

One said he was "singled-out" a month after arriving at the school aged 12 and was abused "as much as two to three times a week" by Mr Burrows, who bought him sweets and promised "extra house points", the jury heard.

Another told police "I hated these things happening to me but could do nothing about it, I was frightened and young", the prosecution said.

Mr Connor said one told police he did not report the abuse at the time because he "did not think he would be believed".

The prosecutor said another did report what had happened, but the headmaster responded by going "berserk" and giving him a "good hiding".

The court heard the abuse became less frequent and Mr Burrows left the school after a few months.

Allegations from those in Scout groups are said to have taken place in Sutton Coldfield and Streetly and on trips to Wales, Ross-on-Wye, the Cotswolds and London, often when Mr Burrows was staying overnight.

The trial continues.