December 2005

Paedophile jailed for catalogue of abuse

A PAEDOPHILE who was involved in almost daily sexual abuse and corruption of three children in the 1980s has been jailed for nine years.

Arthur Barlow’s offences were reported to the police after his name appeared in the Press when he was accused of downloading pornographic photographs from the Internet.

Barlow, 64, of Wedderburn Close in Harrogate, admitted 36 sample charges of sexual abuse of two boys and a girl, aged between 11 and 15 when the offences were committed between 1983 and 1988.

In March he pleaded guilty to 17 counts of making indecent images of children following a police raid on his home in June last year. He had used his credit card to pay for pornographic material from the Internet.

Jonathan Carroll, prosecuting at York Crown Court, said Barlow was a predatory paedophile who had targeted young people visiting his video shop in Woodfield Road, Bilton, Harrogate.

He gave them sweets, cigarettes and gifts and when he had established trust he began to sexually abuse – in each case over an extensive period.

Barlow admitted 36 specimen charges on the basis the abuse was happening on an almost daily or at least weekly basis over a number of years.

Victims were encouraged to visit him in his flat above the video shop and sexual contact began with indecent assault and progressed through masturbation and oral sex to substantial genital contact, which stopped short of penetration.

The complainants went to the police after reading about Barlow being accused of making indecent images of children from material he had obtained from the Internet.

Mr Carroll said: “He denied all the offences and asserted that all three complainants must have collaborated and must be jumping on a compensation bandwagon.” He told Judge Hoffman there was evidence all three complainants were suffering emotional consequences. One was unable to cuddle his own children or sit them on his knee and another had suffered panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.

Andrew Lees, defending, said Barlow, who had never married, was taken into care when he was five and he told the judge there was a report on the degrading treatment he had suffered. “He has had a very lonely life without the support of a family.” Mr Lees said Barlow, who had also worked as a taxi driver, had already had trouble with other inmates while he was on remand in prison. “It is not going to be an easy sentence to serve,” he added.

Judge Hoffman told Barlow he was guilty of extensive and abusive corruption of three vulnerable children – a girl aged 11 to 14, and boys aged 13 to 15 and 12 to 14.

“It may be said this was all a long time ago. But the complainants are still traumatised. All three are actively suffering. I don’t think it is any exaggeration to say that you have made their lives a misery. I hope that what happens to you may be some small comfort to them.” Barlow was banned from all contact with children and ordered to sign the Sexual Offenders Register within three days of being released form prison.

As he was being led away to the cells, one of Barlow’s victims shouted from the public gallery: “Die in prison” and a second added: “Too right.”