Published date: 29 April 2016 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter
A DARK secret held by an outwardly respectable family man caught up with him when he was jailed for nine years.
A court heard how police searched Peter Johnson’s home and on his computers found indecent still images and movies of child sex abuse.
Mold Crown Court was told that a chat log showed how he had attempted to incite a boy of 15 to indulge in sex acts over the internet.
A court heard how police searched Peter Johnson’s home and on his computers found indecent still images and movies of child sex abuse.
Mold Crown Court was told that a chat log showed how he had attempted to incite a boy of 15 to indulge in sex acts over the internet.
While that investigation was going on police received a 999 call from a man in his 20s who was threatening to kill himself.
His life was said to be in turmoil - partly as a result of being sexually abused a decade ago by the defendant.
Johnson, 69, a man of no previous convictions who has been living in a hotel in East Parade, Rhyl, since leaving his family home in disgrace, admitted sexual activity with a child going back between 2004 and 2006, making and possessing indecent images and attempting to engage a child abroad to engage in sexual activity.
In addition to the nine year prison sentence, Judge Geraint Walters ordered him to register with the police as a sex offender for life.
A life time sexual harm prevention order was also made.
Judge Walters told him that outwardly he was a respectable family man married with two grown up children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
“Beneath that exterior, of course, there was a dark side to you which the family knew nothing about,” the judge said.
Johnson was probably a man who was interested in sexual relationships with both males and females and that would have been no one’s business and did not begin to explain the offences he had committed.
“Your dark secret was not simply a question about your sexuality but of having a sexual interest in children,” he said.”That is very wrong.”
He had a decade ago systematically abused a teenage boy from about the age of 13, for some three years. It included one penetrative act.
The teenager involved had been willing to take part in sexual activity but the law was there to protect them from themselves.
He said that youngsters should not have to deal with older and sophisticated men dealing with them as sexual play things.
His computer showed his keen interest in sexual activity of that sort and the charge involving a teenage boy abroad showed that despite his age he was still showing an interest in sexual activity with boys.
Judge Walters said that it was astonishing having brought up children himself that he could behave in such a way. “I like to think that is the last thing you would have wanted for anyone to do it to one of them,” he said.
The images found showed the gravest acts of depravity being perpetrated by adults on young children.
Prosecuting barrister John Philpotts told how the images were found in May 2014 and while that investigation was going on the victim in the earlier sexual offences came forward.
Police received a 999 call from the man, now a chronic alcoholic, who disclosed a series of offences upon when he was 13, 14 and 15.
The offences happened on a regular basis, they greatly affected his life, he would sometimes drink a bottle of vodka a day, had no self esteem and he self harmed and had threatened suicide.
Defending barrister Owen Edwards said that it had been consentual behaviour towards a vulnerable young man. But the defendant had damaged an already damaged young man who had been taken advantage of by his client and others.
The defendant had been an industrious man who led an impeccable life but the proceedings had been devastating. He no longer lived at the family home and he had lost the support of his family.
He had kept secret all his life an aspect of his sexuality and had indulged in his interest in young teenage boys.
The victim had described himself as being treated like a rent boy without the financial rewards.
They had a “truly strange set up” where after sexual activity had taken place the defendant would insist he was a happily married heterosexual man.
The complainant was a willing participant but was understandably disgusted at the life he led at the time.
He recognised that far from having a relationship with his client he was being used and abused by an older man.
The defendant had suffered a very public shame. He was well known and well regarded in his local community and had shown genuine remorse for what he had done.
The judge warned that he had considered sentencing him as a dangerous offender but he said that a nine year sentence for a man of his age would provide the public with sufficient protection.
The teenager involved had been willing to take part in sexual activity but the law was there to protect them from themselves.
He said that youngsters should not have to deal with older and sophisticated men dealing with them as sexual play things.
His computer showed his keen interest in sexual activity of that sort and the charge involving a teenage boy abroad showed that despite his age he was still showing an interest in sexual activity with boys.
Judge Walters said that it was astonishing having brought up children himself that he could behave in such a way. “I like to think that is the last thing you would have wanted for anyone to do it to one of them,” he said.
The images found showed the gravest acts of depravity being perpetrated by adults on young children.
Prosecuting barrister John Philpotts told how the images were found in May 2014 and while that investigation was going on the victim in the earlier sexual offences came forward.
Police received a 999 call from the man, now a chronic alcoholic, who disclosed a series of offences upon when he was 13, 14 and 15.
The offences happened on a regular basis, they greatly affected his life, he would sometimes drink a bottle of vodka a day, had no self esteem and he self harmed and had threatened suicide.
Defending barrister Owen Edwards said that it had been consentual behaviour towards a vulnerable young man. But the defendant had damaged an already damaged young man who had been taken advantage of by his client and others.
The defendant had been an industrious man who led an impeccable life but the proceedings had been devastating. He no longer lived at the family home and he had lost the support of his family.
He had kept secret all his life an aspect of his sexuality and had indulged in his interest in young teenage boys.
The victim had described himself as being treated like a rent boy without the financial rewards.
They had a “truly strange set up” where after sexual activity had taken place the defendant would insist he was a happily married heterosexual man.
The complainant was a willing participant but was understandably disgusted at the life he led at the time.
He recognised that far from having a relationship with his client he was being used and abused by an older man.
The defendant had suffered a very public shame. He was well known and well regarded in his local community and had shown genuine remorse for what he had done.
The judge warned that he had considered sentencing him as a dangerous offender but he said that a nine year sentence for a man of his age would provide the public with sufficient protection.
see-http://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/161534/nine-years-after-respectable-man-s-dark-secret-revealed.aspx
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