Saturday 4 February 2012

Churchgoing Paedophile Finally Snared


A “predatory paedophile” – active in his local church – who tempted a string of young boys to his East London home with promises if cigarettes, alcohol and mobile phone top-ups, has been jailed for 11 years.

Jobless George Gow, 61, (pictured) of Bastable Avenue, Barking was targeted by police in a surveillance operation after a series of near-misses, including him getting away with being caught naked with a 15 year-old.

He began abusing one of his victims when the boy was only 8 years-old and continued until the boy was 16.



He was convicted at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court on three counts of buggery; two counts of indecent assault with a male aged under 16 and one similar count with a male aged under 13.

Gow came under the microscope of the Metropolitan Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Command after the alarm was raised by the Barking and Dagenham Jigsaw Team who monitor registered sex offenders.

In January 2011 they found Gow naked with the 15 year-old, but the boy refused to make any formal complaint and undercover surveillance began in May.

Over two weeks five different children visited Gow and he was arrested on June 22 while a boy was at the address, but again this youngster refused to press charges.

Strict bail conditions were imposed and further enquiries led to one of the children, a 10-year-old boy, being identified.

When he disclosed details of a sexual assault Gow was immediately re-arrested, charged with sexual assault and remanded in custody. 



He was also charged with offences of indecent assault and buggery that took place between 1995 - 2002.

After his release Gow will remain on licence for 10 years and will remain on the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual offences prevention order for an indeterminate period.

Detective Constable Ben Markham said “Gow is a predatory paedophile who exploited young and vulnerable boys in a calculating manner.

“I would like to say thank you to our very brave victims, without your patience and support Gow would not have been convicted.

“We appreciate how difficult it was to go through this trial and we have reason to believe Gow may have committed further offences.

“We would urge anyone who believes they may have been a victim to have the confidence to report the incident to police. We are here to support and protect you.”



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