PAUL CHERRETT'S SHOCKING 41-YEAR CHILD ABUSE SCANDAL IN BOURNEMOUTH
In April 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Paul Cherrett, a former Scout leader from Bournemouth, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for a prolonged campaign of child abuse spanning over four decades.Cherrett, aged 62 and residing on King Richard Drive in Bournemouth, faced a total of 18 charges, including indecent assaults and the possession of indecent images of children.
His crimes, which targeted nine boys between the years 1975 and 2016, took place at various Scout camps and other locations within the Bournemouth area, as well as abroad during Scout activities.
The severity of Cherrett’s offenses was highlighted during his trial at Bournemouth Crown Court, where the presiding judge emphasized that the trauma inflicted by Cherrett would have a lasting impact on his victims.
The investigation into Cherrett’s misconduct was triggered when a CCTV camera at the Butchers Coppice Scout Camp in Bournemouth was activated by a motion sensor in the tuck shop.
The camera’s alert system sent still images and notifications to a senior Scout leader’s mobile device, revealing Cherrett engaging in inappropriate behavior with a young boy.
This evidence led to charges of sexual activity with a minor, which Cherrett admitted in August 2016.
Following a police appeal, additional victims came forward, bringing the total to nine.
In total, eight more victims identified Cherrett as their abuser, resulting in 17 guilty pleas on the day of the court hearing.
The court heard that Cherrett had sexually abused boys at Scout locations in Bournemouth and during international Scout camps.
Police investigations uncovered 35 indecent images of children stored on Cherrett’s computer equipment, further evidencing his misconduct.
Judge Peter Johnson condemned Cherrett’s actions, stating, “Some of your victims were as young as eight or nine.
You caused them immense harm.” The case also raised questions about the Scout Association’s safeguarding procedures, as Cherrett had always held a “full and valid” Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at the time of his service.
A spokesman for the organization, Simon Carter, clarified that neither the Scout Association nor the police had records indicating prior allegations of inappropriate behavior against Cherrett.
The organization announced that it was reviewing the case, especially in light of victim statements, to determine if any other volunteers had been aware of or overlooked the abuse.
In a related and equally disturbing account, victims and court testimonies revealed that Cherrett’s abuse was part of a systematic campaign that lasted for nearly 40 years.
The victims described how Cherrett devised games and activities that allowed him to touch and groped them, often under the guise of training or recreational activities.
Boys were reportedly made to strip naked during rehearsals for Scout shows, with Cherrett handing out chocolates to those who complied.
Allegations also detailed instances where boys were instructed to remove their shorts and underwear as part of supposed first aid training, during which Cherrett allegedly touched their groins to demonstrate how to feel their pulses.
Witnesses recounted that Cherrett’s misconduct was so widespread that, in the late 1980s, a friend of a victim overheard a comment in the ‘leader’s room’ saying, “It’s your turn,” indicating a pattern of abuse.
Concerns about Cherrett’s behavior had been raised with Scout leaders in the early 1980s, leading to his temporary ban from leading meetings.
Despite this, Cherrett continued to serve as the treasurer for the Bournemouth Scout organization and worked at the Butchers Coppice tuck shop, raising further concerns about safeguarding lapses.
In 2016, police were alerted after Scout leaders discovered disturbing footage of Cherrett abusing a boy on CCTV.
This evidence prompted a police appeal for additional victims to come forward.
As a result, eight more individuals reported abuse, bringing the total number of victims to at least 17.
Cherrett, who had no prior convictions, admitted to multiple counts of indecent assault, indecency with a child, and possession of indecent images.
He also pleaded guilty to indecently touching a male under 14, relating to an incident from the previous year.
During the court proceedings, prosecutor Kerry Maylin detailed the extent of Cherrett’s abuse, which spanned from 1975 to 2016.
Victim impact statements were read aloud, with one survivor expressing frustration that their complaints had been ignored, describing the situation as “ridiculous,” while another questioned how the Scouts had allowed such abuse to happen, calling it “absolutely disgraceful.” Defense barrister Kevin Hill highlighted Cherrett’s remorse and his early admission of guilt, noting that Cherrett, a retired accountant, had no previous criminal record and had shown some insight into his offending behavior.
Hill also mentioned that the case had profoundly affected Cherrett’s family.
Cherrett was remanded into custody and is scheduled for sentencing, which Judge Peter Johnson warned could result in a lengthy prison term.
Paul Cherrett’s long-standing involvement with the Bournemouth Scout movement began in 1972 when he became an assistant Cub Scout leader with the 21st Bournemouth Scout Group.
He served in various roles, including assistant district commissioner for Bournemouth West District until 1988, and later returned as a district Scout active support member at Butchers Coppice in 2010.
Despite early warnings and temporary bans, Cherrett’s continued presence within the organization and his access to young boys have been heavily scrutinized in light of these revelations.
