Paedophile convicted of sexual assaults against girls
1st July 2009
The BBC reports how a man carried out a series of sexual assaults on girls from his home in Somerset, over an eight year period. The victims gave evidence via a video link. Apparently the man had admitted befriending the girls, and offering them accommodation when they had been thrown out by parents.
Paedophiles use a number of tactics to gain access to children. However a common ploy is to befriend the child and offer them a “safe haven” away from their parents. This is sometimes with the cooperation of the parents, who are quite unaware of the dangers to which their children are exposed.
One example is Barry Spencer, a former roller skating disc jockey working at the Granby Halls in Leicester pleaded guilty to 76 counts of abusing children between 1962 and 2002. The offences included indecent assault and rape. Later in 2006, he was sentenced in Leicester Crown Court to 15 years imprisonment.
Mr Spencer obtained employment at Leicester City Council as a floor manager and disc jockey at the roller skating rink at the Granby Halls. This provided him with good access to children, as the Halls were regularly used by families. Mr Spencer began by befriending children and their families who had come to roller skate. This then progressed to his offering to look after the children over the weekend. He would ensure free access for the children to the Halls and buy them drinks and sweets. He also worked part time as a lorry driver, and he was able to take children for trips outside Leicester. The abuse would then take place at these locations.
Click here for full article on MJSOL website.
See also BBC News 2nd July 2009 Rapist Preyed on Young Girls
