GEORGE RICHARDS BISHOP’S STORTFORD AND WARE'S DANGEROUS PAEDOPHILE LOSES APPEAL AGAINST LIFE SENTENCE
| Red Rose Database
Ware Bishop’s Stortford Child Sexual Abuser
In October 2014, a highly dangerous convicted paedophile, George Richards, formerly known as Luke Sadowski, faced a decisive legal setback when he lost his appeal against a life imprisonment sentence. Richards, whose criminal activities have spanned over a decade, had orchestrated a series of disturbing and predatory acts targeting young children in the towns of Bishop’s Stortford and Ware, which ultimately led to his conviction and the imposition of a life sentence.
Richards' heinous crimes include an attempted child abduction in Ware, where he attempted to snatch a 10-year-old girl off a footbridge on her way to school. His attempt was thwarted by an off-duty police officer who happened to witness the scene. The officer intervened swiftly, chasing Richards away from the scene, with the young girl’s mother nearby, who was also only yards away at the time. This incident marked the beginning of a series of increasingly alarming criminal acts committed by Richards.
Undeterred by his initial failure, Richards embarked on acquiring weapons to facilitate his next attempt. He traveled to London to purchase an imitation pistol, which he later used in his subsequent crimes. In May of the previous year, Richards targeted a five-year-old girl, abducting her from her mother’s doorstep. The abduction was interrupted when the child's mother confronted him, causing Richards to flee the scene. Despite his efforts to intimidate police with the imitation firearm, Richards was soon cornered by law enforcement officers.
Richards, residing at Gladstone Road in Ware, was found with the imitation gun, a kitchen knife, tape, and white string when police apprehended him. His flat was discovered to have been transformed into a disturbing environment, with windows and skylights blacked out and internal doors bolted at heights unreachable by children, indicating a sinister intent to imprison or harm children.
Judge Michael Stokes QC, sitting alongside Lord Justice Davis and Mr Justice King, described Richards’ crimes as “disturbing and chilling,” emphasizing the need to protect the public, especially young girls, from such an individual. The judge affirmed that Richards had been rightly classified as “extremely dangerous,” and that a life sentence was justified given the gravity of his offenses. The judge stated, “The quite dreadful and chilling circumstances of the case – and the facts of his convictions – plainly justified imposing a life sentence. Indeed, it was absolutely necessary to impose such a sentence.”
Richards, who is 30 years old and originally from Canterbury, has a long history of sexual offenses involving children. Eleven years prior, he was convicted of attempting to buy a child over the internet for sex, a plot foiled by the FBI. At that time, Richards was a student at Canterbury Christ Church University and was sentenced to three years in prison. His earlier crimes included attempting to incite another person to procure a girl aged nine or ten for sex, and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit a further offense.
During his 2003 trial at the Old Bailey, police uncovered a safe in Richards’ student accommodation containing handcuffs, leg shackles, a police baton, a knife, and bullets for his imitation Glock 19 handgun. Police also found disturbing articles, including a newspaper clipping of murdered schoolgirl Millie Dowler, over which Richards had masturbated, and other materials related to police paedophile operations. Richards’ past also includes a violent assault in prison, where he was beaten by fellow inmates and required hospital treatment.
In the most recent case, Richards was convicted at St Albans Crown Court in March of the same year, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of seven years. The court heard that Richards had prepared his flat in Ware to hold children, with evidence of the modifications and the presence of weapons. He was armed with a kitchen knife, an imitation gun, tape, and string when he abducted a five-year-old girl, and had previously snatched a 10-year-old girl in September but released her after being spotted by an off-duty police officer.
Richards’ defense argued that he did not intend to abduct the children but was attempting to demonstrate that he was not a danger to them, claiming he was trying to provoke police attention. However, the court was unconvinced, and Judge John Plumstead sentenced him to life imprisonment, emphasizing the planned nature of his crimes and his sexual obsession with pre-pubescent children. The judge warned Richards that he would remain in prison for life unless the parole board deemed it safe for him to be released.
Following the sentencing, Chief Inspector Gerry McDonald of East Herts police expressed satisfaction that Richards was off the streets, acknowledging the trauma inflicted on the victims and their families. McDonald praised the police officers involved for their bravery and diligence, especially noting that the weapon Richards carried was an imitation, which could have posed a significant risk to officers and the public.
Adrian Foster, the chief Crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern, highlighted the severity of Richards’ crimes, describing them as “despicable” and emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable children. Foster noted that Richards’ guilty plea spared victims from the ordeal of testifying in court and praised the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and prosecution teams in securing justice.
Richards’ criminal past also includes a 2003 conviction when he was 19 for attempting to procure a nine-year-old girl for sex over the internet, which resulted in a three-year prison sentence. His earlier arrest was part of an FBI sting operation, where he was caught trying to buy a child from Eastern Europe. Police found a safe in his Canterbury university room containing restraints, a police baton, and other disturbing items. Richards had also expressed remorse in a letter to his family, which was discovered during the investigation.
Overall, Richards’ case underscores the ongoing threat posed by individuals with a history of sexual offenses against children. The court’s decision to impose a life sentence reflects the seriousness with which the justice system treats such crimes, aiming to protect society from further harm by this highly dangerous individual.
Richards' heinous crimes include an attempted child abduction in Ware, where he attempted to snatch a 10-year-old girl off a footbridge on her way to school. His attempt was thwarted by an off-duty police officer who happened to witness the scene. The officer intervened swiftly, chasing Richards away from the scene, with the young girl’s mother nearby, who was also only yards away at the time. This incident marked the beginning of a series of increasingly alarming criminal acts committed by Richards.
Undeterred by his initial failure, Richards embarked on acquiring weapons to facilitate his next attempt. He traveled to London to purchase an imitation pistol, which he later used in his subsequent crimes. In May of the previous year, Richards targeted a five-year-old girl, abducting her from her mother’s doorstep. The abduction was interrupted when the child's mother confronted him, causing Richards to flee the scene. Despite his efforts to intimidate police with the imitation firearm, Richards was soon cornered by law enforcement officers.
Richards, residing at Gladstone Road in Ware, was found with the imitation gun, a kitchen knife, tape, and white string when police apprehended him. His flat was discovered to have been transformed into a disturbing environment, with windows and skylights blacked out and internal doors bolted at heights unreachable by children, indicating a sinister intent to imprison or harm children.
Judge Michael Stokes QC, sitting alongside Lord Justice Davis and Mr Justice King, described Richards’ crimes as “disturbing and chilling,” emphasizing the need to protect the public, especially young girls, from such an individual. The judge affirmed that Richards had been rightly classified as “extremely dangerous,” and that a life sentence was justified given the gravity of his offenses. The judge stated, “The quite dreadful and chilling circumstances of the case – and the facts of his convictions – plainly justified imposing a life sentence. Indeed, it was absolutely necessary to impose such a sentence.”
Richards, who is 30 years old and originally from Canterbury, has a long history of sexual offenses involving children. Eleven years prior, he was convicted of attempting to buy a child over the internet for sex, a plot foiled by the FBI. At that time, Richards was a student at Canterbury Christ Church University and was sentenced to three years in prison. His earlier crimes included attempting to incite another person to procure a girl aged nine or ten for sex, and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit a further offense.
During his 2003 trial at the Old Bailey, police uncovered a safe in Richards’ student accommodation containing handcuffs, leg shackles, a police baton, a knife, and bullets for his imitation Glock 19 handgun. Police also found disturbing articles, including a newspaper clipping of murdered schoolgirl Millie Dowler, over which Richards had masturbated, and other materials related to police paedophile operations. Richards’ past also includes a violent assault in prison, where he was beaten by fellow inmates and required hospital treatment.
In the most recent case, Richards was convicted at St Albans Crown Court in March of the same year, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of seven years. The court heard that Richards had prepared his flat in Ware to hold children, with evidence of the modifications and the presence of weapons. He was armed with a kitchen knife, an imitation gun, tape, and string when he abducted a five-year-old girl, and had previously snatched a 10-year-old girl in September but released her after being spotted by an off-duty police officer.
Richards’ defense argued that he did not intend to abduct the children but was attempting to demonstrate that he was not a danger to them, claiming he was trying to provoke police attention. However, the court was unconvinced, and Judge John Plumstead sentenced him to life imprisonment, emphasizing the planned nature of his crimes and his sexual obsession with pre-pubescent children. The judge warned Richards that he would remain in prison for life unless the parole board deemed it safe for him to be released.
Following the sentencing, Chief Inspector Gerry McDonald of East Herts police expressed satisfaction that Richards was off the streets, acknowledging the trauma inflicted on the victims and their families. McDonald praised the police officers involved for their bravery and diligence, especially noting that the weapon Richards carried was an imitation, which could have posed a significant risk to officers and the public.
Adrian Foster, the chief Crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern, highlighted the severity of Richards’ crimes, describing them as “despicable” and emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable children. Foster noted that Richards’ guilty plea spared victims from the ordeal of testifying in court and praised the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and prosecution teams in securing justice.
Richards’ criminal past also includes a 2003 conviction when he was 19 for attempting to procure a nine-year-old girl for sex over the internet, which resulted in a three-year prison sentence. His earlier arrest was part of an FBI sting operation, where he was caught trying to buy a child from Eastern Europe. Police found a safe in his Canterbury university room containing restraints, a police baton, and other disturbing items. Richards had also expressed remorse in a letter to his family, which was discovered during the investigation.
Overall, Richards’ case underscores the ongoing threat posed by individuals with a history of sexual offenses against children. The court’s decision to impose a life sentence reflects the seriousness with which the justice system treats such crimes, aiming to protect society from further harm by this highly dangerous individual.