Anthony Barron, formerly of Grove, faced imprisonment in 2007 after pleading guilty to 87 charges related to sexual abuse of children, including attempted rape, sexual assault, and creating indecent photographs.
At the time, his case was reported to be the most severe of its nature in Oxfordshire.
According to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, Barron passed away on July 18 at the age of 72 while serving his sentence at HMP Ashfield near Bristol. An investigation is underway regarding his death, with a report expected to be published shortly.
Upon his sentencing, Judge Julian Hall described Barron as a “plausible, predatory paedophile,” noting that his offenses were “quite chilling.” The Judge commented, “This is as serious a series of offences as I think I’ve ever come across.”
The court was informed that Barron had targeted 11 girls aged between three and 12 over a period of nine years starting in 1997.
Prosecutor Amjad Malik stated that Barron, a well-regarded figure in the local community, gained the trust of parents through his involvement with primary schools and Scout groups, convincing them to permit their children to stay at his home. He manipulated the girls into allowing him to record the abuse by offering them sweets and toys as incentives.
Mr. Malik depicted Barron as “almost an integral part of the parents’ lives,” a person they perceived as an “extremely friendly, helpful man.” The case came to light when suspicions arose after one of Barron’s victims mentioned a concerning comment to her mother.
In response, police conducted a raid on his home, seizing 52 computers containing numerous video recordings of his criminal activities.
Andrew Bright, representing Barron, acknowledged the case as “truly shocking” and a source of “great shame” to Barron and those connected with him. However, he pointed out to Judge Hall that Barron did not employ threats or violence to compel the children’s compliance.
In delivering the sentence, the Judge emphasized, “You totally betrayed the trust of parents who allowed you to look after their children. You abused them completely and treated them with no respect whatsoever. You treated them as if they were some sort of toy. I can’t imagine anything worse than a parent knowing not only that their child had been abused but had been filmed being abused.”
He further remarked, “I’ve no idea when, if ever, you will be safe to be let loose in the community, because I’ve no idea why this all started. I think it’s right that you remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for the rest of your life.”
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