Is facing trial suspicion for 97 crimes • The victim: “I think he is pathetic”
British pedophile Richard Burrows, 80, stole a man’s identity and fled to Thailand.
27 years later he could be arrested at Heathrow in London – suspected of, among other things, dozens of sexual abuse against children.
“There is nothing with this man who deserves anything other than disgust,” says James Harvey, who was 13 when he was exploited by Burrows.
Last year, Richard Burrows arrived at Heathrows Airport in London after 27 years on the run in Thailand. He had moved Britain to avoid being brought to trial for a total of 97 crimes – including dozens of sexual abuse against children.
After the arrest on Heathrow, Burrow’s 43 of the charges, including abuse of minors and the production of child pornographic material, recognized the rest of the crimes he denies. The abuses must have occurred between the 1960s and 1990s when he worked with teenagers in, among others, the Scouts and Amateur Radio Clubs.
One of the victims: “I think he’s pathetic”
One of the victims who chose to step forward is James Harvey. He was 13 when he came into contact with Burrows through the sea scouts.
– I think he is pathetic, I think he is weak. There is nothing with this man deserving anything but disgust, he tells Sky News.
Burrows acknowledged that he assaulted James in a caravan after a flight show. He also acknowledged that he was a pedophile but denied the most serious accusations described as “degrading and disgusting”.
He claimed that his actions had not hurt the children.
– What we see when we talk to the victims is that it definitely done harm. For most of them, it is their first sexual experience at nine, ten, eleven, twelve years of age that affects a person for the rest of their lives, says crime inspector Eli Atkinson from Cheshire Police.
Stole a man’s identity and fled the country
Burrow’s approach was to become friends with the victims by utilizing their position of trust and their personal interests. After winning theirs and, in many cases, their families’ confidence, he began to sexually exploit the boys.
It was in the 1990s that several of the victims dared to step forward. It was also then that Burrows was arrested for the first time. But he never showed up at the Chester Crown Court and an arrest warrant was issued.
Burrows had acquired a pass in the name “Peter Leslie Smith” after cloning the identity of a sick acquaintance and then moving the UK for Thailand.
He is now arrested and gets his verdict in early April.