A paedophile scout leader and school housemaster, who spent 27 years on the run using a stolen identity, has been jailed for 46 years for numerous sexual offences against young boys.
Richard Burrows, 81, systematically abused 24 boys across the Cheshire, West Midlands and West Mercia areas between 1968 and 1995.
In emails found after his eventual arrest, Burrows described “living in paradise” from 1997 after he fled to Thailand.
Earlier that year, he had been charged with a number of historical sex offences and was bailed but failed to attend a plea hearing at Chester Crown Court in December 1997.
Attempts to locate him included several police appeals and four Crimewatch appeals on national television.
In April 2023, detectives from Cheshire Police’s serious and organised crime unit used specialist software to search for any possible images of Burrows online, which uncovered a match for a man using the name of Peter Smith who was living in Chalong in Phuket, Thailand.
Detectives discovered Burrows had stolen the name from an acquaintance who was terminally ill, which allowed him to fraudulently obtain a genuine passport and leave the country without detection.
Plans were under way to extradite him when he flew into Heathrow Airport after he ran out of money and was diagnosed with cancer. Burrows was swiftly arrested on arrival last March.
He was charged with further offences in Cheshire, the West Midlands and West Mercia which had been reported after he disappeared.
Last month, Burrows was found guilty by a jury at Chester Crown Court of 54 offences including indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to another 43 offences including indecent assault, making indecent images of children, possession of indecent images of children and four counts of possession of false identity documents with intent.
His offending in Cheshire took place between 1969 and 1971 while he was employed as a housemaster looking after vulnerable children at Danesford Children’s Home in Congleton.
His victims in the West Midlands and West Mercia areas were abused between 1968 and 1995, the majority through local Scout groups where Burrows worked as a leader.
In each case he befriended the victims by using his position of trust.
Passing an extended sentence, with an additional one-year period on licence, the Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett told Burrows: “I recognise you will not be released.
“You are a despicable man. You have ruined countless lives.
“These serious sexual assaults were committed by you because you are a predator. You deliberately positioned yourself among groups and communities to get closer to them, and to groom and sexually abuse young boys.”
He said it was “one of the most, if not the most serious” case of its kind he had dealt with as a judge.
Judge Everett went on to tell Burrows: “I have no doubt that you were never going to come back (to the UK) had you not run out of money and suffered ill-health with cancer, albeit not terminal – presumably because you were not going to get treatment abroad.
“I have seen no remorse in your behaviour.
“I recall only too well that when you were interviewed by the police, you did not admit a single thing.
“You just lied through the back of your teeth because you knew what you did.
“I see you nodding. Too late now.”
Burrows stared ahead blankly throughout the sentencing before he was led from the dock.
After the defendant left the courtroom, Judge Everett told some of the victims present: “I hope that you will find some peace.”
Burrows was dismissed from Danesford children’s home after one of his victims complained about his behaviour but he was “let go quietly”, the court heard.
He was also sacked from the Scouts in 1994 following a similar complaint but again no further action was taken.
Four of the victims at Danesford have since died but all made witness statements and their evidence “from beyond the grave” helped convict Burrows who denied committing any offences there, said the judge.
Following sentencing, senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Eleanor Atkinson, of Cheshire Constabulary said: “Burrows spent the last 27 years, in his own words, ‘living in paradise’. It is clear that he did not spare a thought for his victims, who were trying to live their lives under the shadow of the abuse they had suffered.
“It is my belief that Burrows hoped, on his return to the UK after so many years, that his offending might have been forgotten about.
“However, his victims could not forget what he did to them. Cheshire Police did not forget what he had done.
“The sentence handed to Burrows today will likely see Burrows spend the rest of his life in prison and I hope that this outcome finally provides the victims with some closure.”
Samantha Thompson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “I’m pleased that many of Richard Burrows’ victims were in court today to see their abuser get justice.
“He will very likely never leave prison.
“Burrows is an unrepentant paedophile who used his position of trust to sexually abuse boys over three decades. When faced with a trial and public exposure he fled to Thailand.
“This case shows that neither the police nor the CPS are deterred by the passage of time, and we will do all we can to bring sex offenders to justice.”
