November 2014 Former Folkestone and Hythe Conservative Association chairman, bespoke tailor Angus Burgoyne, found guilty of child sex abuse A former branch chairman for Folkestone and Hythe Conservative Association, who made a child victim give evidence against him in a sex trial, has now admitted he is a paedophile. Bespoke tailor Angus Burgoyne had denied the three allegations of sexual abuse – but was found guilty by a jury. But now, as his London-based clothing empire crumbles, the 41-year-old father of two has finally admitted he lied during his trial at Canterbury Crown Court. Judge Heather Norton heard that after the case Burgoyne admitted to a probation officer that he has a sexual interest in pre-pubescent children. In passing a 12-year sentence, the judge told Burgoyne that by denying the offences he had caused one of his child victims to have to re-live their ordeal. “She suffered nightmares in the run up to the trial and was frightened about what the consequences might be. “Now I am told you have admitted having a sexual interest in pre-pubescent children and in fact you did sexually abuse your two victims.” The jury had heard how he had posed online as ‘James Beevers’ to exchange perverted child sex fantasies and then downloaded vile images of children. Burgoyne formerly lived in New Road, Elham, but has since moved to Melbury Osmond in Dorset. Prosecutor Simon Taylor had told the jury that Burgoyne was “a brazen liar” and a pervert who molested children before being arrested and questioned in 2012. Police officers seized his computer and a forensic examination revealed he had downloaded more than 1,500 images of children. Four of the images depicted children involved in sadistic attacks and many others were of children and adults involved in sex. The prosecutor said the warped Burgoyne had also created another online profile called ‘Matthew Keeping’ in August 2012. Burgoyne, who admitted eight downloading and distributing image charges but denied the sex assaults, claimed his child victims had lied. But the judge jailed him for nine years and told him he would have to serve an extra three years on licence when he is released from jail. She said Burgoyne had planned the attacks on his three victims, both boys and girls, and had taken advantage when he was alone with them. And the court heard that although he took a photograph of a child in a sex pose, he didn’t accept it was indecent although he admitted it had been taken “for his own sexual gratification.” But the jury heard how in an online chat with someone he thought was a child he offered to send “ kiddy pix.” The judge added: “The probation officer says you show little insight and have distorted thinking – and with that I agree. “I find you are a danger to the public and pose a serious risk of causing children serious harm in the future.” Charles Bott QC, defending, told the court that since his conviction he had “lost his business, which was well regarded and had received favourable publicity in the national press.” He added that Burgoyne had also “lost contact with his children and his many friends.” “He has asked me to apologise to everyone who has been affected, “ he added. September 2014 Ex-Tory branch chairman guilty of child sex offences A former branch chairman for the Folkestone and Hythe Conservative Association hid a “dark secret” – he was a sick paedophile, it has been revealed. Angus Burgoyne posed online as ‘James Beevers’ to exchange perverted child sex fantasies and then downloaded vile images of children. Now the 41-year-old father-of-two is facing a lengthy period behind bars after a jury has convicted him of three sex attacks on children. Burgoyne, who is pictured standing next to MP Damian Collins at a branch event, formerly lived in New Road, Elham, but has since grown a beard and moved to Melbury Osmond in Dorset. Prosecutor Simon Taylor had told the jury that Burgoyne was “a brazen liar” and a pervert who molested children before being arrested and questioned in 2012. Police officers seized his computer and a forensic examination revealed he had downloaded more than 1,500 images of children. The Canterbury Crown Court jury heard how four of the images depicted children involved in sadism and many others were of children and adults involved in sex. The prosecutor said the warped Burgoyne had also created another online profile called ‘Matthew Keeping’ in August 2012. Burgoyne, who admitted eight downloading and distributing image charges but denied the sex assaults, claimed his child victims had lied. He told police: “It didn’t happen. It really… I mean… I don’t… to think I’d do something like that… it makes me feel sick and I just really don’t know what to say to be perfectly frank.” Mr Taylor told the jury: “She (one of the child victims) struck lucky, you may think. She would never have known that the defendant had a collection of child pornography on his computer – still less the victim would have realised that the police would seize his computer during the course of their investigation.” He added that if the victim had lied it would have been to frame Burgoyne for sex offences. Mr Taylor added: “So, for the defendant to be innocent, this must have been a pure shot in the dark by the victim. “Pure coincidence, pure fortune that the person she decided to frame just happened to have a perverted interest in children, a dark secret that she could never have known about.” The jury believed the children and convicted Burgoyne on all three sex assaults. Judge Heather Norton remanded him in custody for the preparation of reports and he will be sentenced next month.