Latest news with #PrisonandProbationOmbudsman
Daily Mirror
10-08-2025
- Daily Mirror
One of Britain's most despicable paedophiles dies in prison
Anthony Barron was serving a life sentence for 87 charges - including the rape of children as young as three - at HMP Ashfield near Bristol when he died One of Britian's worst paedophiles who filmed himself abusing children as young as three has died in prison. Anthony Barron was serving life in prison after pleading guilty to 87 charges of sexual abuse of children including attempted rape, sexual assault and making indecent photographs. The prison ombudsman confirmed today he died on July 18 at the age of 72 while serving at male sex offender prison HMP Ashfield, near Bristol. Barron, formerly of Grove, in Oxfordshire, who was 54 at the time, was sentenced for a case described as the worst of its kind in his county. His cause of death has not been revealed. Currently the Prison and Probation Ombudsman is investigating his death and a report will be published in due course. At the time he was jailed Judge Julian Hall told Barron he was a "plausible, predatory paedophile" whose crimes he had found "quite chilling". He added: "This is as serious a series of offences as I think I've ever come across." The court heard Barron had targeted 11 girls aged from three to 12 over a nine-year period beginning in 1997. Amjad Malik, prosecuting, said Barron, a popular figure in the community, had befriended their parents through his connections to primary schools and Scout groups and persuaded them to let the children stay with him at his home. He then "groomed" the girls into allowing him to film himself abusing them, using sweets and toys as bribes. Mr Malik described Barron as "almost an integral part of the parents' lives" and a person they believed to be an "extremely friendly, helpful man". The court heard suspicions were raised when one of Barron's victims made a comment to her mother about him. Police subsequently raided his house and seized 52 computers which contained scores of video recordings of him abusing the girls. Andrew Bright, defending, said the case was "truly shocking" and a cause of "great shame" to Barron and anyone associated with him. Jailing Barron, the judge said: "You totally betrayed the trust of parents who allowed you to look after their children. "You abused them completely and treated them with no respect whatsoever. You treated them as if they were some sort of toy. "I can't imagine anything worse than a parent knowing not only that their child had been abused but had been filmed being abused." He added: "I've no idea when, if ever, you will be safe to be let loose in the community, because I've no idea why this all started. "I think it's right that you remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for the rest of your life."
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Inmate's death at prison to be investigated
The prison watchdog is investigating the death of an inmate at HMP Manchester two years ago, it has emerged. The Prison and Probation Ombudsman has issued a notice on its website saying it has started an investigation, pending the outcome of an inquest into the death of Lee Gorst, 35, on 25 April 2023. Gorst was serving a seven-year jail term for aggravated burglary in Bury on 15 June 2021. He admitted charges of robbery and threatening another person with a bladed article, namely a knife. A Prison Service spokesperson said: "As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman is investigating." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. The Prison and Probation Ombudsman
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Paedo who acted ‘like God' abusing 19 kids in string of care homes dies in jail
John Allen owned a network of care homes in Wales where he abused children and the 83 year old has now died in HMP Bure where he was jailed for life for his depraved crimes A paedophile who "acted like God" abusing children across a string of care homes he owned has died in jail. John Allen, who made millions running multiple community children's homes in Wrexham, in Wales, was sentenced to life behind bars for his depraved crimes. He was finally snared decades after his reign of terror began, and was serving life imprisonment at HMP Bure where he died at the age of 83. A spokesperson for the prison said: "HMP Bure prisoner John Allen died on May 3, 2025. As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate." Allen was the managing director of Bryn Alyn children's homes for two decades after setting up the first in 1968 when he was just 27. At one point Allen oversaw 11 properties providing care to more than 150 vulnerable children. But that allowed him to abuse victims who were living at the homes. One former resident at the Bryn Alyn children's home said living there "wasn't care, it was like hell". The victim told how Allen had groomed him with gifts before abusing him. He said: "The system really did fail us." Allen was first jailed for six years in 1995 after being found guilty of child abuse. Then in 2014, Allen was sentenced to life in jail for 33 sex offences carried out between 1976 and 1992. The court heard at the time most of the complainants, 18 boys and one girl, came from "dysfunctional, chaotic" backgrounds, reported the Express. Instead of being protected they were taken advantage of by a "powerful man" who was described as acting "like a god" by one traumatised victim. Mold Crown Court heard Allen put the children in a "highly sexualised atmosphere" and kept his victims silenced through fear and isolation. Five years later he was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual offence against children when more victims came forward. Eleanor Laws, prosecuting, described Allen as a "predatory paedophile" who was a "regular and formidable" presence. Ms Laws branded Allen's sexual abuse of boys as "prolific". She told the court: "They were often forgotten. It made them the perfect targets for John Allen. His sexual abuse of these boys was prolific. He took risks to seriously sexually abuse them and he sexually abused them on many, many occasions." Following conviction he was sentenced to another 14-and-a-half years by Judge Rhys Rowlands. The judge told Mold Crown Court Allen's crimes represented "sheer wickedness". The sex beast was originally arrested after an independent investigation was launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2012. Dubbed Operation Pallial, the probe looks into allegations of historic abuse in the care system. The NSPCC said Allen had conducted a "reign of terror over a dark period of several decades". The charity added that his crimes put him "high up the scale of the most prolific child abusers of recent times".
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
One of ‘UK's worst paedos' who acted ‘like a God' abusing 19 children in care homes he owned dies in jail
A HORRIFIC sex offender who "acted like God" abusing children in care homes has died in jail. John Allen, who ran multiple community children's homes in Wrexham, in Wales, was sentenced to life behind bars for his depraved crimes. 3 John Allen died in prison aged 83 Credit: © Andrew Price / View Finder Pictures 3 The former children's home owner was sentenced to life in jail Credit: WNS He had only spent 11 years locked up in HMP Bure when he died aged 83, said the prison. A spokesperson said: 'HMP Bure prisoner John Allen died on May 3, 2025. "As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.' The twisted paedophile ran Bryn Alyn children's homes for two decades after setting up his first in 1968 when he was just 27. Read More At it's peak, Allen owned 11 properties with more than 150 children. Many were subject to heinous abuse while living at the homes. One former resident at the Bryn Alyn children's home said living there "wasn't care, it was like hell". He told how Allen had groomed him with gifts before abusing him. Most read in The Sun "The system really did fail us," he added. In 2014 Allen was sentenced to life in jail for 33 sex offences carried out between 1976 and 1992. The court heard at the time most of the complainants came from 'dysfunctional, chaotic' backgrounds. Instead of being protected they were taken advantage of by a "powerful man" who was described "as like a god" by one victim. Mold Crown Court heard Allen put the children in a "highly sexualised atmosphere" and kept his victims silenced through fear and isolation. Five years later he was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual offence against children when more victims came forward. He was sentenced to another 14-and-a-half years by judge Rhys Rowlands. The judge told Mold Crown Court Allen was "sheer wickedness". The monster was originally arrested after an independent investigation was launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2012. Dubbed Operation Pallial, the investigation looks into allegations of past abuse in the care system. The NSPCC said Allen had conducted a 'reign of terror over a dark period of several decades'. He was put 'high up the scale of the most prolific child abusers of recent times'. 3 In 2014 Allen was sentenced to life in jail for 33 sex offences carried out between 1976 and 1992 Credit: Andrew Price / View Finder Pictures
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Children's care home paedophile dies in prison
A paedophile who was serving a life sentence for sexual abuse in north Wales children's homes has died in prison at the age of 83. John Allen, who ran several homes, including Bryn Alyn in Wrexham, was jailed for a minimum of 11 years in 2014 for sex offences from the 1960s to the 1990s. He was found guilty in 2019 of seven further counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual offence against children as young as 13 after further victims came forward. A Prison Service spokesman confirmed Allen died at HMP Bure in Norfolk on 3 May, adding: "As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate." Man flew from US to 'marry' Welsh girl he groomed Sex abuse head teacher report not being made public 'Coward' paedophile who fled country convicted Allen set up the Bryn Alyn community of children's homes in 1968 which, at its height, had 11 properties housing more than 150 young people from around the UK. Many found themselves subjected to repeated abuse at the hands of Allen between 1976 and 1992. In the 2019, jurors heard an interview with a victim who said he was dragged to Allen's office after a fight and pinned to the floor. The next thing he remembered was his clothes being ripped off and Allen sexually assaulting him. One former resident at the Bryn Alyn children's home said living there "wasn't care, it was like hell". He explained how Allen had groomed him and gave him gifts before abusing him. "The system really did fail us," he added. The 2014 case against Allen was the first prosecution following the Operation Pallial investigation into allegations of historical sexual abuse at children's homes which was launched by the National Crime Agency in 2012. Care home owner guilty of more child sex abuse Care home owner jailed for more child sex abuse
