ANTHONY DOWSING'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IN BRAUNTON AND HAYES ENDS IN DEATH AT BEDFORD PRISON
| Red Rose Database
Hayes Braunton Child Sexual Abuser
In a tragic turn of events, Anthony Dowsing, a former deputy headmaster notorious for his heinous crimes against young boys, died in prison after suffering a massive heart attack. Dowsing, who was serving a four-year sentence for multiple sex offenses, was found struggling to breathe in his cell at HMP Bedford on November 7, 2015. Despite efforts by prison staff and paramedics to revive him through CPR, the 70-year-old was declared dead at the facility.
During the inquest held today, it was revealed that Dowsing had been battling numerous medical conditions throughout his incarceration, which contributed to his death. The post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as a bilateral pulmonary embolism, a serious condition involving blood clots in the lungs. The presiding officer, Mr. Pears, from Ampthill, Bedfordshire, stated that Dowsing died of natural causes.
Anthony Dowsing, originally from Braunton in Devon, had a long history of criminal behavior that spanned several decades. His crimes came to light after a series of investigations that uncovered disturbing details of his abuse. In 2014, he was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to five counts of indecent assault on boys under the age of 14, as well as possessing nine indecent images of children, some of which were rated at the most explicit level five.
These assaults occurred between 1976 and 1985 and involved four young boys. The allegations surfaced when one of his victims came forward in 2013, prompting police to launch a comprehensive investigation. Authorities identified three additional victims, all of whom had been attacked while Dowsing was serving as deputy headmaster at Hayes Park Junior School in west London.
In May 2014, Dowsing was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court, where he admitted to the charges. The court heard that his abuse spanned nearly a decade, with the victims aged between seven and ten at the time of the assaults. The case drew significant attention, highlighting the abuse of trust by a figure in a position of authority.
Following his arrest in April 2013 at his residence on West Meadow Road in Braunton, police seized a large collection of indecent images of children from his computer. These images ranged from level one to level five, with the latter being the most sexually explicit. Detective Constable Kate McDuff emphasized the importance of victims coming forward, stating, “This is a historical case going back nearly 40 years, where Dowsing used his position of trust as a deputy headteacher to abuse vulnerable children over a nine-year period.”
McDuff also urged any other potential victims, especially those who may have encountered Dowsing through his work with children’s clubs and charities in the London area, to contact authorities. She praised the bravery of the victims who reported the abuse, reaffirming the police’s commitment to taking all allegations of child abuse seriously, regardless of how much time has passed.
During the inquest held today, it was revealed that Dowsing had been battling numerous medical conditions throughout his incarceration, which contributed to his death. The post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as a bilateral pulmonary embolism, a serious condition involving blood clots in the lungs. The presiding officer, Mr. Pears, from Ampthill, Bedfordshire, stated that Dowsing died of natural causes.
Anthony Dowsing, originally from Braunton in Devon, had a long history of criminal behavior that spanned several decades. His crimes came to light after a series of investigations that uncovered disturbing details of his abuse. In 2014, he was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to five counts of indecent assault on boys under the age of 14, as well as possessing nine indecent images of children, some of which were rated at the most explicit level five.
These assaults occurred between 1976 and 1985 and involved four young boys. The allegations surfaced when one of his victims came forward in 2013, prompting police to launch a comprehensive investigation. Authorities identified three additional victims, all of whom had been attacked while Dowsing was serving as deputy headmaster at Hayes Park Junior School in west London.
In May 2014, Dowsing was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court, where he admitted to the charges. The court heard that his abuse spanned nearly a decade, with the victims aged between seven and ten at the time of the assaults. The case drew significant attention, highlighting the abuse of trust by a figure in a position of authority.
Following his arrest in April 2013 at his residence on West Meadow Road in Braunton, police seized a large collection of indecent images of children from his computer. These images ranged from level one to level five, with the latter being the most sexually explicit. Detective Constable Kate McDuff emphasized the importance of victims coming forward, stating, “This is a historical case going back nearly 40 years, where Dowsing used his position of trust as a deputy headteacher to abuse vulnerable children over a nine-year period.”
McDuff also urged any other potential victims, especially those who may have encountered Dowsing through his work with children’s clubs and charities in the London area, to contact authorities. She praised the bravery of the victims who reported the abuse, reaffirming the police’s commitment to taking all allegations of child abuse seriously, regardless of how much time has passed.