TREvor BUCHAN/PAUL THOMAS FROM BATH AND TROWBRIDGE SENT BACK TO PRISON FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND BREACHING ORDERS
| Red Rose Database
Bath Trowbridge Child Sexual Abuser
In January 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Trevor Buchan, also known as Paul Thomas, a man with a long history of sexual offences against children, who has now been returned to incarceration for violating a court-imposed sexual offences prevention order. The incident took place in Trowbridge, where Buchan, aged 58, was found to have repeatedly violated the restrictions placed upon him, which explicitly prohibited any contact with minors for longer than three minutes.
According to court reports, Buchan was caught babysitting a three-year-old girl at his flat in Trowbridge. The situation escalated when, outside the premises, he openly acknowledged to others that he had 'inappropriate thoughts' about the young girl. This revelation prompted neighbors to alert the police in November of the previous year, raising concerns about the safety of the child and the potential breach of the court order.
Prosecutor Tessa Hingston explained that the neighbors believed the child's mother was struggling to care for her daughter and that Buchan was assisting her. When police officers arrived and questioned him, Buchan initially denied any contact with the child, claiming he was merely a neighbor passing by. The child's mother also initially denied that Buchan had been looking after her daughter, but once she became aware of his past convictions, she acknowledged that he had been helping her out during the day, especially when she was hung over. She also confirmed that Buchan had been with the girl in the communal gardens of the flats.
During his arrest, Buchan insisted he had not breached the order, claiming he had never been alone with the child. However, he later admitted to the breach, acknowledging that he had spent time with the girl and had taken her to the communal garden, despite the restrictions. He argued that he kept the girl in public spaces where others were present to avoid violating the order, but the court was skeptical of this explanation.
It is important to note that Buchan has a significant criminal history related to child sexual offences. In 2011, he was sentenced to five years in prison at Bristol Crown Court after admitting to molesting a young girl and breaching a previous sexual offences prevention order. His criminal record also includes a 2009 community order for possessing indecent images of children, and a 1999 sentence of 27 months for sexually abusing another child between 1985 and 1992.
During the hearing, Tony Bignall, representing Buchan, acknowledged that his client accepted he was likely to face imprisonment for his latest actions. Bignall also revealed that Buchan still harbors 'sexual thoughts about children,' which he described as a persistent issue in his client’s mind.
Judge Tim Mousley QC sentenced Buchan to 32 months in prison. The judge emphasized the clarity of the court order, stating, “The wording of that order was crystal clear. I don’t accept for a minute that it didn’t exclude you from unsupervised contact with children. It seems you spent three to four hours in contact with that little girl during which you took her to a communal garden. But you accept that when you were with that girl, you had inappropriate thoughts. You attempt to explain that by saying that is why you went to the communal garden as it is where you knew other people would be. I am sceptical about that having read about you.”
In a related case from February 2009, Buchan, then living in Bath, was described by a judge as one of the 'vilest perverts' he had encountered. That year, he was caught with hundreds of indecent images at his home in Fox Hill, which included photographs, DVDs, papers, and computer hardware containing 602 indecent images of children aged three to early teens. The police investigation was prompted by information from U.S. authorities suggesting Buchan was purchasing such material online.
He later pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and making indecent photos or pseudo-photos of children. The court was told that Buchan had previous convictions dating back to his youth, including offences of gross indecency with a child in the 1980s and indecent exposure in 1974. His 1999 sentence of 27 months was for offences committed between 1985 and 1992.
Despite the severity of his crimes, Buchan was given a three-year community order, which included attending a sex offender treatment program, and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years. He was also disqualified from working with children for life and subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order preventing contact with minors under 16.
Prosecutor Richard Posner detailed that the police seized the extensive collection of images during a raid on September 2 of the previous year, following international intelligence. The materials included photographs of children as young as three, along with magazines and other media depicting naturist content involving minors. Buchan admitted to having a sexual interest in children aged seven and over, describing the images as 'things of beauty' and claiming he had no intention of harming children directly.
His defense attorney, Jennifer Tallentire, explained that Buchan had been living a solitary life since his release from prison in 2000, after his previous sentence. She stated that he began viewing indecent images on his computer in 2007 and was forthcoming with police about his actions.
Judge Lambert expressed concern about the risk Buchan posed to the community but ultimately decided that his risk could be managed through supervision and participation in a sex offender program. He emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of Buchan’s perversion, noting that his viewing of such images constitutes a form of abuse itself, as it fuels the production of such material. The judge concluded that while Buchan remains a danger, his current sentence and supervision plan aim to contain that risk within the community.
According to court reports, Buchan was caught babysitting a three-year-old girl at his flat in Trowbridge. The situation escalated when, outside the premises, he openly acknowledged to others that he had 'inappropriate thoughts' about the young girl. This revelation prompted neighbors to alert the police in November of the previous year, raising concerns about the safety of the child and the potential breach of the court order.
Prosecutor Tessa Hingston explained that the neighbors believed the child's mother was struggling to care for her daughter and that Buchan was assisting her. When police officers arrived and questioned him, Buchan initially denied any contact with the child, claiming he was merely a neighbor passing by. The child's mother also initially denied that Buchan had been looking after her daughter, but once she became aware of his past convictions, she acknowledged that he had been helping her out during the day, especially when she was hung over. She also confirmed that Buchan had been with the girl in the communal gardens of the flats.
During his arrest, Buchan insisted he had not breached the order, claiming he had never been alone with the child. However, he later admitted to the breach, acknowledging that he had spent time with the girl and had taken her to the communal garden, despite the restrictions. He argued that he kept the girl in public spaces where others were present to avoid violating the order, but the court was skeptical of this explanation.
It is important to note that Buchan has a significant criminal history related to child sexual offences. In 2011, he was sentenced to five years in prison at Bristol Crown Court after admitting to molesting a young girl and breaching a previous sexual offences prevention order. His criminal record also includes a 2009 community order for possessing indecent images of children, and a 1999 sentence of 27 months for sexually abusing another child between 1985 and 1992.
During the hearing, Tony Bignall, representing Buchan, acknowledged that his client accepted he was likely to face imprisonment for his latest actions. Bignall also revealed that Buchan still harbors 'sexual thoughts about children,' which he described as a persistent issue in his client’s mind.
Judge Tim Mousley QC sentenced Buchan to 32 months in prison. The judge emphasized the clarity of the court order, stating, “The wording of that order was crystal clear. I don’t accept for a minute that it didn’t exclude you from unsupervised contact with children. It seems you spent three to four hours in contact with that little girl during which you took her to a communal garden. But you accept that when you were with that girl, you had inappropriate thoughts. You attempt to explain that by saying that is why you went to the communal garden as it is where you knew other people would be. I am sceptical about that having read about you.”
In a related case from February 2009, Buchan, then living in Bath, was described by a judge as one of the 'vilest perverts' he had encountered. That year, he was caught with hundreds of indecent images at his home in Fox Hill, which included photographs, DVDs, papers, and computer hardware containing 602 indecent images of children aged three to early teens. The police investigation was prompted by information from U.S. authorities suggesting Buchan was purchasing such material online.
He later pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and making indecent photos or pseudo-photos of children. The court was told that Buchan had previous convictions dating back to his youth, including offences of gross indecency with a child in the 1980s and indecent exposure in 1974. His 1999 sentence of 27 months was for offences committed between 1985 and 1992.
Despite the severity of his crimes, Buchan was given a three-year community order, which included attending a sex offender treatment program, and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years. He was also disqualified from working with children for life and subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order preventing contact with minors under 16.
Prosecutor Richard Posner detailed that the police seized the extensive collection of images during a raid on September 2 of the previous year, following international intelligence. The materials included photographs of children as young as three, along with magazines and other media depicting naturist content involving minors. Buchan admitted to having a sexual interest in children aged seven and over, describing the images as 'things of beauty' and claiming he had no intention of harming children directly.
His defense attorney, Jennifer Tallentire, explained that Buchan had been living a solitary life since his release from prison in 2000, after his previous sentence. She stated that he began viewing indecent images on his computer in 2007 and was forthcoming with police about his actions.
Judge Lambert expressed concern about the risk Buchan posed to the community but ultimately decided that his risk could be managed through supervision and participation in a sex offender program. He emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of Buchan’s perversion, noting that his viewing of such images constitutes a form of abuse itself, as it fuels the production of such material. The judge concluded that while Buchan remains a danger, his current sentence and supervision plan aim to contain that risk within the community.