MICHAEL ADAMS FROM BEDFORD SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS FOR SEX OFFENCES AGAINST YOUNG BOYS

In a case that has shocked the Bedford community and beyond, Michael Adams, a man with a disturbing history of sexual offenses, has been sentenced to a decade behind bars for a series of heinous crimes committed against three young boys during the 1980s.

Adams, who was known as Michael Damon during the early years of these offenses, built a relationship of trust with the boys by inviting them into his home in Bedford. What appeared to be innocent interactions soon revealed a darker pattern of grooming and abuse. The court heard that Adams, now 43 years old, was convicted of eight counts of indecent assault on a male, one count of indecency with a child, and an additional charge of buggery.

It was disclosed during the proceedings that Adams was already serving a prison sentence at the time of his sentencing. In December 2007, he received an indeterminate sentence after being found guilty of multiple sex offenses involving two young boys, including the act of buggery on one of them. The court mandated that he serve a minimum of five years before being eligible for parole, with the earliest possible application for release set for September 2012.

Remarkably, it was during his incarceration that one of his victims, who had been abused in the early 1980s, finally found the courage to come forward. The victim, who was undergoing hypnotherapy to help him quit smoking, confided in his therapist about the abuse inflicted by Adams when he was just nine years old. This revelation played a crucial role in bringing the case to a conclusion.

Prosecutor Beverley Cripps outlined the disturbing timeline, explaining that Adams, then known as Michael Damon, resided with his family in Bedford during the early 1980s. He later changed his name to Adams at the age of 21. The court was told that Adams befriended two boys aged nine and twelve, who would visit his home to play. It was the older boy who first became a target for Adams’ grooming.

According to the prosecution, Adams engaged in inappropriate play-fights with the older boy in his bedroom, which escalated to touching and fondling. The younger boy was also invited into Adams’ bedroom to play on a computer, where similar inappropriate conduct occurred. Adams committed multiple sexual acts on the younger boy, with the abuse continuing until Adams left Bedford to join the Royal Air Force.

Further disturbing details emerged about a third boy, also nine years old, who was subjected to buggery by Adams. To silence the young victim, Adams provided him with money, a tactic often used to maintain secrecy and control.

Defense lawyer Chris Gair acknowledged that Adams himself had been a victim of sexual abuse as a child. He described his client as having developed a “deviant sexual appetite,” but also noted that Adams’s guilty pleas should be taken into account, as they spared his victims the trauma of a lengthy court process.

Judge Barbara Mensah sentenced Adams to ten years in prison, emphasizing the premeditated nature of his crimes. She stated that Adams had engaged in planning, grooming, and manipulation of the young boys. Addressing Adams directly, she said, “You were 16, a young boy, but you were old enough to know what you were doing was wrong, criminal, and destructive. Your victims were helpless in the face of your assaults.”

The judge further remarked that Adams’ actions had robbed the three boys of much of their childhood and had severely impacted their emotional development. As Adams was led away to begin his sentence, Judge Mensah expressed her concern about his potential danger to other young people, warning that he posed a significant threat to the safety and well-being of minors in the community.