Man Arrested After 27 Years on the Run Faces New Child Sex Abuse Charges
An 80-year-old former scoutmaster, apprehended after evading authorities for over 27 years, is now facing additional child sex abuse charges.
Richard Burrows, accused of historic child sexual abuse, was arrested at Heathrow Airport in March upon returning from Thailand to the U
Burrows had been a fugitive since December 1997 when he failed to appear at Chester Crown Court to face charges of two counts of buggery and 11 counts of indecent assault.
The initial charges stem from alleged abuse incidents at a children’s home in Congleton, Cheshire, between 1969 and 1971, and in the West Midlands between 1971 and 1981.
Cheshire Police announced today that the Crown Prosecution Service has authorized further charges against Burrows.
These new charges include 20 counts of indecent assault, one count of buggery, three counts of creating indecent images of children, and four counts of possessing false identity documents with intent.
The new allegations involve 11 victims and occurred between 1966 and 1996 across Cheshire, the West Midlands, and West Mercia regions.
Burrows is scheduled to appear at Chester Crown Court on August 2.
He was initially set to be tried at Chester Crown Court on child sex charges when he absconded in December 1997.
Despite multiple appeals, including a segment on the BBC’s Crimewatch, police were unable to locate him until March of this year.
Detectives from Cheshire Police, in collaboration with the National Crime Agency, arrested Burrows as he disembarked a flight from Thailand at Heathrow Airport in London.
Burrows made an appearance at Chester Crown Court on April 2.
When asked by the court clerk if it was correct that he had “failed to surrender to custody and failed to surrender pursuant to a warrant for his arrest,” Burrows, dressed in a grey tracksuit, confirmed: “Yes.”
Judge Steven Everett stated that Burrows is facing historical allegations of serious sexual assault and indecent assault involving 11 young victims at a Cheshire children’s home and during his tenure as a scoutmaster when he skipped bail in December 1997.
The judge ordered Burrows to remain in custody and to reappear in court on June 21 to enter a plea.
The trial date has been set for January 13.