Friday 30 September 2022 09:27 PM Paedophile choirmaster, 70, who sexually abused 14 boys as young as nine is ... trends now

View
comments

A paedophile choirmaster who sexually abused 14 boys as young as nine at churches over a 30-year period has been jailed.

Richard Owen, also known as Franklyn Stanowski, 'preyed' on the 'young and innocent children' after they joined the choir at churches in Winsford, Knutsford and Altrincham - before 'betraying their trust for his own sexual gratification' and assaulting them out of sight of adults.

The 70-year-old, from Winsford, admitted 27 offences of indecent assault of boys under 16 between 1968 and 1998 and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. However, Chester Crown Court has heard that the choirmaster had committed hundreds of offences over the decades.

Owen would often offer to take the boys, who are now aged between 38 and 63, to church in his car, provide some of them with extra tuition as well as take them on trips away, the court heard.

They would be subjected to the abuse as acts of 'discipline', with the choirmaster telling them they had been naughty.

Afterwards he would give them money, hand over sweets, alcohol or take them out for meals. On occasions he would be seen standing outside their homes, watching and waiting for them.