THOMAS BRANT RETURNS TO BENSON: VILLAGE SHOCKED BY PAEDOPHILE'S REINTEGRATION
| Red Rose Database
Benson Child Sexual Abuser
In May 2008, a wave of concern and unease swept through the quiet village of Benson following the news of Thomas Brant's impending return to the community. Brant, a man with a troubling criminal past, was convicted in April 2006 on five counts of indecent assault on a male and two counts of indecency with a child. His crimes had targeted a young boy, whose identity remains protected by law.
Brant, who resided on Westfield Road in Benson, was sentenced to serve four and a half years in prison. However, it has now emerged that he is set to be released after serving only two years, a development that has alarmed many residents and especially the victim’s family. The father of the young boy expressed his deep fears about Brant's return, emphasizing the perceived inadequacy of the sentencing. He stated, “He should have been castrated, chucked into jail, and the keys thrown away. He got four-and-a-half years, but is out in two years, and that is not nearly enough. I am very distressed that he is out at all, but I think it is a scandal that he is back in Benson. People should be told loudly and clearly that this man is a pervert, and he should be shunned.”
Local parents, particularly those waiting outside Benson Junior School, voiced their concerns about the safety of their children and the importance of being informed about any known offenders living nearby. Several residents from the Westfield Road estate, where Brant once resided, insisted they should have been warned about his return. Louisa Kruczko, a mother of four children attending the school, remarked, “Very definitely we should have been told.” Her friend, Louisa Purvis, who has a single child at the school, added, “I do believe you need to know to make sure your child is safe. I do not mind who does the telling, just as long as we know.”
Another local resident, a man collecting his two daughters from school, shared his perspective, saying, “I have always regarded paedophilia as a disease, and going to prison does not get rid of the disease. For that reason, people should know of paedophiles living in their community.”
Thomas Brant was an active member of the Benson community for many years, serving on the Benson Parish Council from 1991 to 2000. He also contributed to organizing village play schemes, playgroups, and numerous fundraising events, which made his criminal past all the more shocking to residents.
Thames Valley Police declined to comment on the situation, citing policy on individual cases. A spokesperson for the Thames Valley Probation Service stated, “We do not comment on individual cases. But when someone is deemed to be safe to be released back into the community, there is always a robust risk management scheme in place and a multi-agency public protection arrangement.”
Linda Neely, the headteacher of Benson Junior School, indicated that she would be consulting with her advisers at Oxfordshire County Council and the school governors regarding the situation. However, she was unable to confirm whether any warning would be issued to parents.
The village’s spiritual leader, Reverend Andrew Hawken, expressed his lack of awareness about Brant’s return, saying, “I did not know he was back in the village. No one has said anything to me about the situation. But at the time of his conviction in March 2006, there was a lot of feeling in the village that a miscarriage of justice had taken place.”
A mother from the Westfield Road area, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared her thoughts, stating, “We live too close to it — we do not want any repercussions. But we all believe it would be better to know. Most of us knew he was due out, but we did not know when, and it looks as though no one was going to tell us, but the newspapers.
We are not ganging up on the man, pillorying him, or anything like that. But in a village, you have to be aware of what’s what.”
Brant, who resided on Westfield Road in Benson, was sentenced to serve four and a half years in prison. However, it has now emerged that he is set to be released after serving only two years, a development that has alarmed many residents and especially the victim’s family. The father of the young boy expressed his deep fears about Brant's return, emphasizing the perceived inadequacy of the sentencing. He stated, “He should have been castrated, chucked into jail, and the keys thrown away. He got four-and-a-half years, but is out in two years, and that is not nearly enough. I am very distressed that he is out at all, but I think it is a scandal that he is back in Benson. People should be told loudly and clearly that this man is a pervert, and he should be shunned.”
Local parents, particularly those waiting outside Benson Junior School, voiced their concerns about the safety of their children and the importance of being informed about any known offenders living nearby. Several residents from the Westfield Road estate, where Brant once resided, insisted they should have been warned about his return. Louisa Kruczko, a mother of four children attending the school, remarked, “Very definitely we should have been told.” Her friend, Louisa Purvis, who has a single child at the school, added, “I do believe you need to know to make sure your child is safe. I do not mind who does the telling, just as long as we know.”
Another local resident, a man collecting his two daughters from school, shared his perspective, saying, “I have always regarded paedophilia as a disease, and going to prison does not get rid of the disease. For that reason, people should know of paedophiles living in their community.”
Thomas Brant was an active member of the Benson community for many years, serving on the Benson Parish Council from 1991 to 2000. He also contributed to organizing village play schemes, playgroups, and numerous fundraising events, which made his criminal past all the more shocking to residents.
Thames Valley Police declined to comment on the situation, citing policy on individual cases. A spokesperson for the Thames Valley Probation Service stated, “We do not comment on individual cases. But when someone is deemed to be safe to be released back into the community, there is always a robust risk management scheme in place and a multi-agency public protection arrangement.”
Linda Neely, the headteacher of Benson Junior School, indicated that she would be consulting with her advisers at Oxfordshire County Council and the school governors regarding the situation. However, she was unable to confirm whether any warning would be issued to parents.
The village’s spiritual leader, Reverend Andrew Hawken, expressed his lack of awareness about Brant’s return, saying, “I did not know he was back in the village. No one has said anything to me about the situation. But at the time of his conviction in March 2006, there was a lot of feeling in the village that a miscarriage of justice had taken place.”
A mother from the Westfield Road area, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared her thoughts, stating, “We live too close to it — we do not want any repercussions. But we all believe it would be better to know. Most of us knew he was due out, but we did not know when, and it looks as though no one was going to tell us, but the newspapers.
We are not ganging up on the man, pillorying him, or anything like that. But in a village, you have to be aware of what’s what.”