May 2015 Rotherham Boys’ Brigade pervert gets 23 years for sexually abusing young boys A Rotherham Boys’ Brigade volunteer who left four young boys traumatised for life by years of sex abuse has been jailed for 23 years. Darren Swift is serving the first day of his sentence for 43 offences today – even though two of his mentally scarred victims had reported his vile actions in 1997. Swift, aged 51, now of Telford, Shropshire, was convicted of five counts of buggery, 26 counts of indecent assault and 12 counts of indecency with a child between 1980 and 1997 after a trial last year. Sheffield Crown Court was told South Yorkshire Police had told Swift they ‘wouldn’t do anything about it’ if he admitted his crimes. Her Honour Judge Jacqueline Davies said of the 1997 investigation: “I ordered a report about the lack of police action, which I find deeply concerning. “It causes me considerable concern and that concern of mine needs to be passed onto the police. “We heard from two of the complainants about how they made statements. The defendant was interviewed and he said the police told him if he admits it they won’t do anything about it. “It was an inappropriate thing to have said to him and in the current climate it causes me more concern.” Church-goer Swift, who uses an electric wheelchair and appeared in court via a video link, began abusing young boys as a teenager. His first victim was just eight years old. Swift bonded with him through a shared interest in collecting beer mats before luring him into his bedroom and sexually abusing him. Judge Davies said: “He was told not to tell anyone and he complied with that but was deeply troubled when he grew up.” His second victim was 11 and a member of the Boys’ Brigade in Rotherham, with which Swift was involved. “He went to your home and you indecently assaulted him,” said Judge Davies. “He never returned but the impact on him was serious. “He told no one because of the threats you uttered to him.” Swift’s other two victims were both aged about nine and were abused over a six or seven year period. The Baptist-turned-Mormon met one of the children after befriending his father at church. He began abusing the other boy after pretending to help his mother by taking him to activities such as ice hockey and taekwondo. He may have no unsupervised contact with children under 16 indefinitely and will be on the sex offenders register for life. October 2014 Rotherham youth group volunteer guilty of abusing four boys A Rotherham youth group volunteer who abused four boys over the course of 17 years has been found guilty of 43 sexual offences. Darren Swift, who is now of Lawrence Road, Telford, Shropshire, carried out his campaign of abuse between 1980 and 1997 while working at various local sporting clubs and youth groups in Rotherham. He was found guilty by a jury at Doncaster Crown Court of 26 counts of indecent assault, 12 counts of indecency and five counts of buggery following a two-week trial. One count of buggery was discarded during the trial. The charges relate to four boys who were aged between eight and 14 when the abuse took place. Detective Constable Ian Hampshire who lead the investigation said: “Each victim was subjected to years of abuse by this man who was a trusted member of the local community. “He held several positions of trust for various community groups, where he met and effectively groomed these vulnerable young boys for sexual purposes. “I am pleased with the verdict reached today and I pay tribute to the victims who had the courage to come forward and disclose their ordeal. “It is difficult to comprehend the strength it will have taken each victim to report this abuse to police years after it took place. “Because Swift continually denied his guilt, each victim was forced to relive their traumatic experience in front of a jury, which is further testament to their strength of character. “I hope that for the victims, this marks the conclusion of years of torment for them and their families. “The force remains committed to tackling child sexual exploitation and take any reports of sexual abuse, historic or current, very seriously.” Swift has been remanded into custody and will be sentenced next year.