September 2012

Child molester Alan Rogers’ death was suicide

A convicted child molester killed himself after being told he could not return to his former home after his release from jail, an inquest was told.

Alan Rogers, 52, was ordered to live at a hostel in Leicester but failed to turn up following his release from Lincoln Prison in March.

His decomposed body was found a month later when a dog walker found him hanged at a disused shelter in a field in Heighington, near Lincoln.

A verdict of suicide was recorded.

The inquest at Lincoln Cathedral Centre heard Rogers appeared to have been living in the disused horse shelter.

Bedding, discarded beer cans and the remains of a fire were found inside the structure.

A suicide “note” was etched on the wall using charcoal from the embers of the fire.

Rogers, whose last home was in Hinckley Road in Cadeby, near Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, was jailed for three years in 1996 after he was convicted of indecently assaulting five young girls he met through his interest in horse riding.

He was jailed again at Leicester Crown Court in September last year when he was given a 12 months sentence after admitting twice breaching a risk of sexual harm order.

That hearing was told Rogers, who was banned from contacting young girls, made contact with a girl using his horse as “bait” to attract her attention.

Rogers had hoped to return to Cadeby but was ordered to live at a hostel after the owner of the property where he planned to live was attacked within 48 hours of details of his forthcoming release being published.

The inquest was told he believed he was being wrongly targeted by Leicestershire Police.

West Lincolnshire deputy coroner Paul Smith recorded a verdict of suicide on Rogers, whose body was found on 15 April.

September 2011

Child molester used horse as bait for girl

A convicted child molester used his horse as “bait” to attract the attention of a 15-year-old girl.

Alan Rogers, who has served a three-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting girls, was subject to restrictions including being barred from contacting females under the age of 16.

The 51-year-old was jailed for 12 months on Wednesday after admitting twice breaching a risk of sexual harm order.

Leicester Crown Court was told that, in February, Rogers made contact with a 15-year-old after she posted an internet advert saying she was a rider available to exercise other people’s horses.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Hammond said: “The facts of this case are very sinister.

“He says this wasn’t grooming but, in effect, this is what he was doing.

“He’s quite clearly a sexual predator of young girls and he had no excuse to contact this girl.

“His previous convictions happened when he was working at a farm and stabled his horse there.

“The victims were allowed to ride his horse. He gave them alcohol to inebriate them.

“He comes across as a plausible man and his risk of reoffending is put at medium.

“The circumstances (of his previous convictions) are very similar. He used his horse as bait to contact an under-age girl.”

After the victim posted the advert, Rogers sent her a photo of his horse and asked when she would turn 16.

The teenager asked him to contact her mother to make arrangements, which he did.

The mother, unaware of his convictions, allowed him to liaise with her daughter via Facebook.

On March 5, the girl went with her parents to view the defendant’s horse at a stable yard.

Rogers, of Hinckley Road, Cadeby, told them that, if asked, they should say the girl was 16 for “insurance” purposes.

Julie Downes, prosecuting, said the owner of the yard knew Rogers was not allowed to have contact with girls under 16.

The defendant later had a short Facebook conversation with the girl.

However, she learned from a friend about his convictions and her parents alerted police.

When questioned, Rogers, an HGV driver, admitted breaching the court order by having contact with a 15-year-old, saying he was desperate for someone to exercise his horse.

He denied telling her to pretend she was 16.

In 1996, Rogers was convicted of eight counts of indecent assault, involving five victims aged between 13 and 15.

He had unlawful sexual intercourse with one, aged 14.

All the victims met Rogers through horse-riding.

Matthew Smith, in mitigation, said: “Although initial contact was made answering the advert, the first contact was through the parents, who attended with her.

“There was no actual harm to her and he did not breach any other terms of the order.

“He maintains his innocence in relation to his earlier convictions. He maintains he doesn’t have any sexual interest in girls of this age.”