April 2006

Paedophile released to live near schools

Parents reacted with horror today after it was revealed a paedophile rapist released seven years early from jail was living among them.

Brian Bosworth was branded as “a clear, constant and significant risk to any child” in a leaked probation report.

But he has served just five years of a 12-year jail sentence and is now living close to two Newcastle schools.

Bosworth, 56 – who raped a 12-year-old boy and carried out four other indecent assaults on children – could have been released even earlier but for a damning probation officer’s confidential report.

In the document the officer declared: “In my opinion he (Bosworth) will remain a clear, constant and significant risk to any child he is able to gain contact with. I believe him to be a great risk to the community.”

But his warning was in vain. He was freed from prison last November where he is living under supervision in Newcastle’s West End.

Bosworth, originally from Cramlington, who has never shown any remorse for his sickening crimes, spends his days drinking in a local pub with other inmates and wandering the streets.

Chief Supt Chris Machell, area commander for Newcastle, said: “We have been made aware of the campaign by the News of the World and the publication yesterday of an article about a man named Brian Bosworth. A full risk assessment has been carried out and at this moment we don’t see any reason to alter the current arrangements. However if this situation changes we will take immediate action.”

But Susan Bone, 32, a mum of three from the West End, said: “You can’t help thinking they will re-offend. There are play parks, nurseries and a few schools around here.

“I would like to think I could let my kids play out and get some exercise but I’ll definitely think twice about it now.”

And mum Karen Walton, 36, added: “I think the laws need to be changed and paedophiles should be permanently tagged so police can keep track of them at all times.

“I have two children and it makes you frightened to let them out knowing there are people like that around.”

Julie Fernyhough, 42, said: “I just can’t believe they’ve put him there, surely they can find somewhere away from children.”

On Friday he was seen in Newcastle on his way to catch a Metro train to Wallsend where he mingled with shoppers in the town’s indoor market.

In the afternoon, accompanied by two residents, he walked to a video shop – but took a different route back which took them down the side of one school.

The hostel has 13 staff to look after, and around 19 offenders – 13 with records for sex offences.

Bosworth was jailed for 12 years in 1999 and branded a public danger for his sickening crimes.

He was put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

He admitted five sex offences, including rape and indecent assault of the eight-year-old boy and indecently assaulting a 12-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl.

In August 2001, the mother of the youngest boy victim said the trauma had driven her to the edge of despair and destroyed her eight-year-old son’s life.

 

“I feel my son never got the counselling he needed after the attack,” she said.

“I blame Bosworth for what he has done to ruin my son’s life, and mine.

“My son not only suffered from the rape ordeal when he was bound and gagged by this monster, but he could not cope with the feelings which built up.

“We had to move away from the area after the case because it was so awful. My son’s personality changed, he became violent, started throwing furniture around the room and banging his head against the wall.

“He couldn’t talk to me and needed expert counselling. I was given some support by the social services, and had a series of meetings with social workers, but problems with his behaviour increased.”

The mum said the sex crime led to the break-up of her family as she developed agoraphobia and started to drink more than normal.

“We were the victims throughout all this.”