A paedophile who spent nearly three decades on the run in Thailand to escape going on trial in the UK was today convicted of dozens of historical sexual abuse offences.
Richard Burrows, a former boarding school housemaster and scout leader, had admitted 43 offences already but denied 54 others, which jurors convicted him of at Chester Crown Court today.
The predator became one of the UK’s most wanted fugitives when he fled the country before his trial was due to take place in 1997, but he was arrested at Heathrow Airport in March last year after returning from Thailand.
Burrows, 80, was snared after he tried to re-enter the UK, having spent 27 years on the run under a false name in what he described as his ‘paradise’, a jury heard.
Police bodycam footage released today shows the moment Burrows was arrested at Heathrow as he stepped off the plane with a walking stick.
The court heard how between 1968 and 1995, Burrows systematically abused 26 young boys across the Cheshire, West Midlands and West Mercia areas.
The prolific sex offender, described by police as a ‘coward’ who enjoyed a life of ‘paradise’ while his victims were left to ‘suffer’, will be sentenced for a total of 97 offences on April 7.
Burrows, then 53, was arrested and charged with a number of offences in 1997, which he denied, but failed to appear at a pre-trial plea and preparation hearing on Deember 8 that year.
He had in fact fled to Thailand under the name of Peter Leslie Smith, having stolen an innocent man’s identity and used it to obtain a passport.
The paedophile, originally from Sutton Coldfield, worked as a housemaster at a school for troubled teenagers in Cheshire in the 1960s and later worked with scouts and amateur radio clubs in the Midlands.
The trial heard how he used his positions of trust and responsibility – which also included working as a master at a children’s home ‘to satisfy himself sexually’ by abusing boys aged between 10 and 15.
Burrows was today found guilty of 54 offences, including indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child.
He had already pleaded guilty to 43 offences, including indecent assault of boys, making indecent images of children, possession of indecent images of children and four counts of possession of false identity documents with intent.
The offences in Cheshire happened between 1969 and 1971 while he was working as a housemaster, looking after vulnerable children at Danesford Children’s Home in Congleton.
Cheshire Police said his victims in the West Midlands and West Mercia areas were also all young boys who were abused between 1968 and 1995, the majority through local scout groups where Burrows worked as a leader.
Burrows would befriend victims by abusing his position of trust before sexually abusing them.
Prosecutor Mark Connor KC told the jury during the trial how Burrows left the UK after he was arrested at his home in Birmingham in 1997.
Mr Connor said: ‘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.
‘He was arrested when he attempted to re-enter the UK on 28th March 2024 on the eve of his 80th birthday, having enjoyed 27 years in ‘paradise’ , to quote his description of where he had spent his time on the run.’
The prosecution told the court that Burrows ‘systematically abused male children under his care’.
Mr Connor told how the boys who attended the school were ‘vulnerable’, having previously been in trouble or had problems at home.
Burrows used his attic room at his home in Sutton Coldfield where he kept his radio equipment to commit some of the sex attacks to which he has pleaded guilty, the court heard.
The trial heard that one victim from the attic was aged 12 or 13 when he was attacked sometime between 1966 and 1968.
He came forward to police after noticing an appeal on the BBC Crimewatch programme in 2011.
Another victim was a 12-year-old paper boy with an interest in radios when Burrows invited him back to his home to see his radio equipment and then assaulted him in the attic.
The victim came forward only last year when he saw news of the arrest of Burrows at Heathrow Airport.
Detective Inspector Eleanor Atkinson, who had led the investigation, said: ‘Our determination to locate Burrows over the past 27 years has not faltered and I welcome the verdict reached by the jury.
‘It is clear that he is a prolific sex offender. He systematically abused his victims, specifically targeting vulnerable boys in order to fulfil his own sexual gratification.
‘Following his initial charges in 1997, Burrows knew he was guilty but rather than face the consequences of his actions, he acted like a coward and fled the country using a stolen identity taken from an unwell man.
‘In emails that we have found since his arrest, Burrows described how he has spent the past three decades ‘living in paradise’, while his victims have all been left to suffer as they struggled to try and rebuild their lives.
‘Thankfully, following our determination, he has finally been held accountable for his actions and is now behind bars where he belongs.
‘It was clear throughout his trial that he did not feel remorse and had not thought at any point while living abroad about the impact his abuse had on his young victims.
‘While his victims will never be able to forget what happened to them, I hope that the fact that Burrows has now been held accountable will finally provide them with some closure. Sadly, four of his victims have now passed away and so did not get to see justice served.
‘I also hope that this case acts as a warning to any other wanted suspects – demonstrating that no matter how long you hide, we will find you and you will be held accountable.’