GERARD BROWNE FROM PRESCOT SENTENCED FOR PREDATORY SEXUAL ABUSE IN LIVERPOOL

In June 2017, Gerard Browne, a man with a dark history of predatory sexual misconduct, was sentenced to a lengthy prison term for a series of heinous crimes committed decades earlier. Browne, who was the owner of GJB Coaches based in Widnes, had a disturbing pattern of abusing young boys, including teenagers, through a calculated campaign of manipulation, blackmail, and assault.

One of his victims, a boy who was only 13 at the time, endured repeated sexual assaults at Browne’s hands. The perpetrator used threats to publish explicit photographs of the boy to his parents if he refused to comply with Browne’s demands. This coercion created an environment of fear and helplessness for the young victim, who was subjected to ongoing abuse under the guise of a coach trip. The second victim, who was in his late teens and struggling with his emerging sexuality, was also targeted by Browne. He was raped on one of Browne’s coaches, and like the first victim, was threatened with exposure to his family if he resisted.

Gerard Browne, now 79 years old and visibly frail, walking with the aid of a stick, was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court on a Friday. The court found him guilty of nine counts of indecent assault, three counts of rape, and one count of taking indecent images of a child. Browne, who resides in Beaconsfield, Prescot, denied all charges, claiming that the boys had willingly engaged in sexual acts. However, the jury saw through his falsehoods and delivered a guilty verdict last month.

A poignant victim personal statement from the second man was read aloud in court. He described how Browne’s actions had shattered his life: “(Browne) planned and executed a campaign of abuse that destroyed my innocence, my work, and my life. He used my sexuality as a tool of manipulation and blackmail against me at a time when I was living with the fear and turmoil of coming to terms with my sexuality.”

Prosecutor Henry Riding explained to the jury that Browne had met the boys separately through another individual, a young man who had engaged in sexual acts for money in Manchester’s gay village during the 1980s. The prosecutor emphasized that if these crimes had occurred under today’s legal standards, they would be classified as grooming, as Browne provided the boys with coach trips and alcohol, further exploiting their vulnerability.

The court was also informed that the older victim confided in a family friend about the abuse. The friend described the young man as being “completely at a loss” and terrified that his parents would discover the truth. The abuse only came to light in 2015 when one of the victims came forward, mentioning the other in his testimony. The second victim was contacted by police unexpectedly but chose to speak out about his ordeal.

The victim’s statement continued with a powerful condemnation of Browne’s actions: “What Gerard Browne did was not only to violate my body, he violated my life. He treated me like I was his prostitute and in doing so insulted my character and my family.” The court heard that the second victim had suffered from years of depression, psychotic episodes, and had even attempted suicide. He described the process of coming to terms with his sexuality as “very confusing and painful,” and added that Browne’s actions made that journey even more harrowing.

While the first victim chose not to make a statement publicly, he had expressed his struggles with the abuse, describing how he had “locked it away in my mind” to cope. Judge Rachel Smith, presiding over the case, sentenced Browne to 14 years in prison and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for life. The judge also noted that Browne had a prior conviction for indecent assault on a minor, a fact that the jury was unaware of during the trial. This previous conviction underscored the pattern of predatory behavior that Browne had exhibited over the years, making his current sentence even more significant in the pursuit of justice for his victims.