BARRY MATTHEWS SENTENCED IN STAFFORD FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON YOUNG BOYS DESPITE CLAIMS OF POOR HEALTH

In June 2017, Stafford Crown Court handed down a significant sentence to Barry Matthews, a 78-year-old resident of Stafford, who was convicted of sexually assaulting two young boys under the age of 13. Despite his age and health issues, Matthews was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison, a decision that drew attention due to his claims of a limited life expectancy.

Prior to sentencing, Matthews attempted to delay the proceedings by asserting that he did not have long to live. He cited a range of health problems, including heart disease, asthma, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and shortness of breath, as reasons for his request. His legal counsel asked Recorder Mr. Michael Elsom to adjourn the case so that additional medical evidence could be obtained to substantiate these claims.

However, Mr. Elsom dismissed the request, stating that a comprehensive medical report already provided sufficient information. He remarked, “The courts regularly have to sentence people who are suffering illness. I have seen nothing to indicate the defendant’s assertion that he does not have long to live.”

Details of the case revealed that Matthews, residing on Attlee Crescent in Stafford, initially denied three counts of sexual assault involving the two boys. However, he changed his plea to guilty when the case proceeded to trial in April at Stafford Crown Court.

During the proceedings, statements from the victims’ families painted a grim picture of the impact Matthews’ actions had on their lives. They expressed a desire for justice, hoping that the sentencing would help them find some measure of closure. One family described their suffering as “physically and emotionally broken.”

The court was informed that Matthews had taken some time to come to terms with his actions. When he finally admitted guilt, it was seen as a way to avoid the ordeal of witness testimony. Nonetheless, the judge emphasized the severity of the crimes, stating, “The effects on those who were your physical victims go way beyond what you did to them. Not only do the two young boys have to live with what you did to them, they had to live for 18 months with the knowledge that they might have to give evidence about you. These offences were serious and not isolated.”

Overall, the case highlighted the profound and lasting damage caused by Matthews’ misconduct, and the court’s decision reflected the gravity of his crimes against vulnerable children in Stafford.