BREAKING NEWS Paedophile scoutmaster who fled to Thailand and spent decades on the run will die behind bars after being jailed for 46 years

Daily Mail​

30-04-2025

A paedophile scout leader and school housemaster who spent 27 years on the run in Thailand has today been jailed for 46 years.
Richard Burrows, 81, systematically abused 24 boys across the Cheshire, West Midlands and West Mercia areas between 1968 and 1995.
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.
The trail went completely cold for more than a quarter of a century until last year when officers at Cheshire police ran a manipulated mugshot through a publicly available AI facial recognition program, PimEyes.
After searching through billions of photos online, it unexpectedly came up with a match with 'Peter Smith', a British expat living in Thailand, partly thanks to a distinctive mole visible on both his and 'Peter's' jaw.
Burrows was arrested at Heathrow Airport in March last year after returning from Thailand.
In emails found after his eventual arrest, Burrows described 'living in paradise' on the tropical island of Phuket.
He 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.
Richard Burrows is pictured in a police mugshot in 1997, when he was first arrested, and in a more recent one when he was arrested last year and found guilty
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.
Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Eleanor Atkinson, who had led the investigation, said: 'Burrows is a coward, he knew he was guilty in 1997, but rather than face the consequences of his actions, he fled the country after fraudulently obtaining a passport using the identity of an unwell man.
'He 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.
'I also hope that this case acts as a warning to any other wanted suspects out there – we will find you and you will be held accountable for your actions.'
Duncan Burrage, International Liaison Officer for the National Crime Agency, said: 'British paedophiles have gone to Thailand thinking it is a safe haven. It is not.
'This case is another example of our international officers working closely with Thai law enforcement to track down fugitives, making sure they return to the UK to face the consequences of the crimes.
'Richard Burrows spent decades on the run and went to great lengths change his identity and live in Thailand, but he has finally faced justice in the UK.