August 2016 Paedophile’s victim came forward after reading about other offences A convicted paedophile will not face extra jail time for abusing a new victim who came forward after reading about his crimes in the Echo. Predatory Thomas Pope, 69, abused the boy in a lock up garage, public toilets and the boiler room of Clatterbridge Hospital where he worked. Pope was jailed for 12 and a half years in February for a campaign of abuse against his previous three victims, which included serving them coffee laced with whisky and showing them pornography. He had admitted 24 counts including indecent assault and indecency with a child. A fourth man, now in his 50s, reported abuse he suffered from the age of eight after seeing news reports of the sentencing. Pope pleaded guilty to 13 additional sexual offences against the boy, including indecent assault and gross indecency, which took place in the Wirral during the 1970s. Martine Snowden, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court : “The abuse scarred his childhood. He says he was haunted by his past and suffers nightmares and flashbacks.” The court heard Pope bought the boy gifts to keep him quiet, including Airfix models and telescopes. The victim said he “felt guilty” about the abuse suffered by others as a result of him not coming forward sooner. Pope later told police he targeted the victim “because he was there” and because “he was a quiet, shy boy.” Christopher Hunt, representing Pope, said his client had “not quibbled” over the allegations and admitted them immediately. He said: “All this offending stopped voluntarily over 40 years ago. Since it stopped he has led a good hard-working life until he rightly had to pay for his sins.” Mr Hunt said Pope “may not leave prison alive” due to a series of health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. Judge David Aubrey, QC, passing sentence, said the offences were committed at the same time as the abuse against the other three victims. He said the law meant he must pass a sentence reflecting the totality of Pope’s offending, and prevented him from imposing a lengthy sentence on top of the existing 12 year jail term. However according to the terms of that extended sentence Pope will not be automatically be released after serving half, but only when a Parole Board deems he is no longer a risk to the public. Judge Aubrey said the Parole Board “would be entitled to take into account” these additional offences. He said: “The court heard a powerful victim impact statement in which the victim said he had been haunted by his past. “This has come about as a consequence of what you did, it scarred him emotionally and psychologically for the rest of his life.” Pope was handed an eight year jail term which will run alongside the 12 year sentence. He must sign on as sex offender for the rest of his life. July 2016 Wallasey paedophile jailed in February is back in court after another victim comes forward A Wallasey man jailed earlier this year for 12-and-a-half years for historic sex abuse was back in the dock. Liverpool Crown Court heard that another victim had come forward after his sentence was reported in the media. White haired Thomas Pope, who is now 69, pleaded guilty to 13 offences against the boy when he was aged between eight and 12 in the early 1970s. Judge David Aubrey, QC, adjourned sentence until July 26 and Pope was further remanded in custody. At his earlier hearing when he was jailed the court heard he had laced coffee with whisky for two of his victims and showed them pornographic magazines before abusing them. Jailing him Judge Aubrey said the offences demonstrated his “predatory and determined instincts in the corruption and intimidation of the young boys.” Pope, of Barrington Road, Wallasey, pleaded guilty to a total of 24 charges including indecent assault and indecency involving the boys in the 1970s in Wallasey and Bebington. One of the victims was just six years old when Pope began abusing him and the others were aged eight and nine. The offences spanned a five year period. Judge Aubrey said that Pope “must have created an atmosphere among his victims of fear, anxiety and trepidation. You took away their innocence but you have done more than that. “You have scorned each one of your victims emotionally and psychologically for the rest of their lives.” The court heard that tragically one of the victims has died. February 2015 Wirral paedophile sexually abused three boys after giving them coffee laced with whisky A paedophile who sexually abused three boys after giving them coffee laced with whisky was jailed for 12-and-a-half years. Thomas Pope, 69, targeted the “extremely young and vulnerable” victims at his Wallasey home and in Bebington, Wirral, in the 1970s. Liverpool Crown Court heard how Pope, of Barrington Road, plied the children with alcohol and made them watch pornography. Judge David Aubrey, QC, said: “You took away their innocence, but you in fact have done much more than that. “You have scarred each one of your victims emotionally and psychologically for the rest of their lives.” Janet Reaney, prosecuting, said Pope was aged between 24 and 29 when he committed his crimes. His victims, one of which has since died, were as young as six. Ms Reaney said Pope only stopped after he was confronted about the abuse and became “fearful of discovery”. The first victim said he felt “afraid, ashamed and disgusted”. He said Pope served what he described as “special coffee” and then molested him. Pope admitted 24 counts including indecent assault, indecency with a child and another sexual offence. He has no previous convictions. Simon Mills, defending, said his client had expressed shame and remorse. Judge Aubrey said Pope left the children living in fear. He said: “The abuse each one suffered at your hands, for two of them remains real, and for one remained real, this court has no doubt, until his untimely death. “Of those two who survive, each one relives the agony that you have taken away from their childhood innocence. “The harm you have caused to each is almost incalculable and immeasurable.” Judge Aubrey said Pope abused all three boys together in one incident. He said: “That occasion alone illustrates your predatory and determined instinct in the corruption and manipulation of these three victims.” Judge Aubrey said Pope wrote a letter to the court “recognising his overwhelming feeling of sorrow and guilt”. He added: “Guilt of course is something also felt by your victims – a guilt that stays with young children who have been abused.” Pope, with grey hair, beard and glasses, displayed no emotion in the dock as he was sent down. Judge Aubrey gave him an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for the rest of his life.