Ex-scout leader convicted of 54 child sex abuse crimes after 27 years on the run

Richard Burrows, an 80-year-old former scout leader and housemaster, has been convicted of 54 sexual offences against young boys after spending 27 years on the run in Thailand. The Chester Crown Court found Burrows guilty of a range of charges, including indecent assault and buggery, related to his abuse of 26 boys between 1968 and 1995 while in positions of trust. He had previously pleaded guilty to 43 other offences, bringing the total to 97. Burrows was arrested upon returning to the UK in March 2022, having evaded justice since 1997. The abuse occurred during his tenure at Danesford Children's Home and through local scout groups, where he exploited his authority to gain the victims' trust. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7.