Richard Burrows convicted of 97 child abuse offences

Richard Burrows, an 80-year-old former housemaster and scout leader, has been found guilty of 97 child abuse offences. These serious crimes took place over 30 years, from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s. Burrows fled to Thailand in 1997 to escape legal action but was arrested in 2023 at Heathrow Airport after authorities tracked him down using facial recognition software. During his trial at Chester Crown Court, Burrows admitted to being a paedophile but denied some of the more serious charges. He pleaded guilty to 43 out of 105 offences. The court ultimately convicted him of 54 additional charges, including indecent assault and rape. Prosecutor Mark Connor KC stated that Burrows exploited his positions of trust to abuse young boys. Detective Inspector Eleanor Atkinson described Burrows as a "prolific sex offender" who showed no remorse for his actions. In an email, Burrows mentioned that he had spent his time in Thailand living "in paradise" while his victims suffered. Tragically, four of his victims have since died, and many did not receive justice at the time as their claims were dismissed. Burrows is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7. Prosecutors hope that his conviction will provide some closure for the victims he harmed.