October 2005

Child sex offender branded ‘danger’

A DANGEROUS paedophile is facing at least the next three years behind bars.

Angus Bowman, 39, was convicted of two separate sexual offences involving youngsters, in each case aged eight and six, after showing them a picture of naked boys in a changing room.

Durham Crown Court heard that in one incident he committed a sex act in front of two young girls, before being accosted by an outraged publican, in Killingworth, North Tyneside.

Bowman was made the subject of an interim sexual harm prohibition order, restricting his actions, but while on bail he lured two boys to a secluded area on the coast, near Easington Colliery, County Durham, and indecently touched them.

He was interrupted by an uncle of one of the boys, who was looking for them, and was apprehended trying to get into his car.

Among items found in his pocket were a length of cord and rubber gloves, and had a change of clothing in his car.

The court heard that 1,300 indecent images of children were found downloaded either on his home computer, or a work laptop computer at Premier Waste Management, in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, where he was a chemical engineer.

Bowman, of Moresby Road, Cramlington, Northumberland, denied two charges of sexual activity in the presence of a child, two of child abduction and indecent assault, plus 18 offences relating to the downloaded child pornography.

But he was found guilty by unanimous jury verdicts after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court last month.

Roger Moore, mitigating, told yesterday’s sentencing hearing that Bowman, previously involved in swimming and triathlon clubs, still denied the offences.

Judge Lowden imposed an indeterminate sentence of at least six years’ imprisonment, which means Bowman will not be eligible for parole for at least three years.

He told Bowman: “I have no doubt you are a dangerous paedophile and I seldom use that word. The likelihood of further offending must be high.”

Bowman will be on the sex offenders’ register for life.