Serial paedophile Richard Burrows jailed for 46 years

He has been convicted of numerous offences

Burrows, 81, spent 27 years on the run in Thailand before he was arrested at Heathrow Airport in April of last year.

The former housemaster and scout leader was charged with 97 offences, 43 of which he admitted to and 54 others which he denied, but was convicted of last month by jurors at Chester Crown Court.

The offences he admitted to include assault of boys, making indecent images of children, possession of indecent images of children and four counts of possession of false identity documents with intent.

The ones he denied include the indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child.

The trial heard how Burrows had exploited positions of authority and systemically abused 24 boys from the 1960s to the mid 1990s.

He was first charged in May 1997, but failed to attend the hearing eventually going on the run to Thailand.

During his time on the run, he remained on the police wanted list until he was matched with facial recognition software with a man using the name Peter Smith.

This turned out to be the identity of a a terminally ill friend which he stole to obtain a passport.

In emails found after his arrest last year, Burrows described "living in paradise" after he had fled to Thailand.

The judge Steven Everett told Burrows: "You are a despicable man. You have ruined countless lives.

"These serious sexual assaults were committed by you because you are a predator.

"You deliberately positioned yourself among groups and communities to get closer to them, and to groom and sexually abuse young boys."