PETER VESEY CAUGHT NEAR LEAMINGTON SPA AND STRATFORD SCHOOLS IN SHOCKING CRIMES

In February 2006, a disturbing incident unfolded involving Peter Vesey, a convicted sex offender with a troubling history of offenses against young boys. The situation drew significant concern from local communities in Leamington Spa and Stratford, where Vesey's movements and past crimes have raised alarms about public safety and the effectiveness of supervision measures.

Vesey, aged 52, was observed walking near a school in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, just a short distance from the site of an ex-lags' hostel where he and another known offender are currently being housed. Despite his criminal record, Vesey is permitted to walk freely during the day, provided he returns to his residence by 11 pm. His daily routine includes strolls into the town center, during which he passes the gates of Arnold Lodge School, a private institution accommodating up to 300 pupils aged four to thirteen. The school authorities declined to comment on Vesey's presence, but parents of students expressed their shock and concern, especially considering the school's proximity to the hostel where Vesey resides.

Vesey's criminal history is extensive and deeply troubling. In January 2004, he was sentenced to three years in prison after attempting to film boys in a Warwickshire leisure centre. The court also mandated that he serve an additional five years on license following his release and required him to register as a sex offender for life. His prior convictions include four counts of indecent assault against young boys and one for taking indecent photographs of a child.

The Warwick Crown Court heard that Vesey, at the age of 50, took a video camera into the changing rooms at Stratford Leisure Centre in an apparent attempt to film naked boys. Prosecutors revealed that Vesey concealed the camera at the top of his bag, hiding it with a towel, but the towel kept falling over the lens, rendering his efforts unsuccessful. His arrest followed an unrelated investigation when police discovered he had accessed child pornography sites on computers at Stratford library. During questioning, Vesey admitted that he had an obsession with the bodies of pre-pubescent boys and claimed that he took the camera into the leisure centre on impulse.

Defense attorney Neal Williams acknowledged Vesey's awareness of the risks he posed to children, emphasizing that police would not have known about his attempt to film in the changing rooms had he not confessed himself. The case has once again highlighted the ongoing concerns surrounding convicted sex offenders and their supervision, especially when they are allowed to move freely in communities close to schools and other vulnerable locations.