December 2014 ‘Dangerous, predatory paedophile’ jailed for child sex assaults A “dangerous and predatory paedophile” has been jailed for 18 years for committing a series of historical sexual offences against children. John Toms, 65, of Oldford, Frome, was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court after admitting 22 charges including rape, gross indecency and indecent assault. He was arrested in July after a member of the public saw him trying to take photos of a girl near him on a bus. The charges relate to incidents against four children in the 1980s and 1990s. During a subsequent search of his house, officers found indecent images of children on his computer. Det Con Jon Hooper said the victims were all from the east Somerset area and were around six-years-old when the abuse started. “John Toms admitted during police interviews that he was sexually attracted to young children and was in possession of indecent images,” he added. “Toms is clearly a dangerous and predatory paedophile and we believe there may be more victims who have not yet been located. “The judge said Toms had “an extreme and perverted interest in young girls” and said he had “caused untold damage to his victims”.