June 2014

‘Danger to young children’ – Hartlepool pensioner who abused girl then hid in Spain is jailed

A PERVERT pensioner who sparked an international manhunt after going on the run instead of standing trial for a string of sex charges is finally behind bars.

Vile Frank Burgon, 77, was described as a “danger to young children” after pleading guilty to three sickening indecent assaults dating back to the early 1980s.

In one of the assaults, Burgon drove his young victim to a secluded spot where he forced himself upon the young girl, who was younger than 14 at the time, in the back of his car.

But instead of giving his victim the opportunity for justice after she bravely came forward and reported Burgon’s behaviour to the police nearly 30 years later, the pensioner failed to turn up for his trial last year and went on the run for almost 10 months until he was arrested in Gran Canaria at the end of December.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Burgon “isn’t a man of good character” and served an 18-month prison sentence in 2010 after being charged with gross indecency involving another youngster under the age of 14.

He was also cautioned in 1993 after touching the breasts of a young girl in his car after he offered her a lift.

And now Burgon is back behind bars after Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, sentenced him to 47 months in prison.

Judge Bourne-Arton said: “You are now aged 77 but you are a man with a history of preying on young children, both male and female.

“You are a man who has shown you are a danger to young children.”

Burgon, from Dalton Piercy, also pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to comply with a notification requirement after the court heard he had previously been ordered to sign the sex offenders register following his 2010 court appearance.

After signing the register, Burgon was required to make the police aware if he was leaving the country for more than three days but the court heard he jetted out to Turkey on two occasions without notifying officers.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to attend court after not turning up for his trial last year, which Judge Bourne-Arton described as an “extremely serious offence”.

He said: “It means that woman didn’t get justice.

“It means she was unable to come and tell her side for more than two years. She was unable to give evidence.”

Katherine Dunn, prosecuting, said the victim finally plucked up the courage to tell the police about the sickening attacks she was subject to as a youngster in 2011.

Miss Dunn said: “The complainant said she was young and naive and didn’t understand.”

Katy Rafter, mitigating, asked the judge to take into account the fact Burgon changed his plea to guilty so the complainant didn’t have to go through the ordeal of giving evidence at a trial.

She also asked the judge to take into account Burgon’s age when sentencing.

Burgon was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment for two of the indecent assault charges and 18 months for the other, to run concurrently.

He was sentenced to a total of four months behind bars for failing to comply with a notification requirement and six months for failing to attend court, both to run consecutively with the indecent assault sentences meaning he will spent a total of 47 months in jail.

Burgons police mugshot

December 2013

On the run convicted paedophile arrested by Spanish police after disappearing a year ago

A FUGITIVE pensioner wanted for alleged child sex offences has been arrested by Spanish police.

Runaway Frank Burgon was discovered in an apartment in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria, at 12.10am on Sunday, and arrested by two uniformed police officers and a detective.

The 76-year-old was arrested on suspicion of breach of a court order and is currently in the custody of the Spanish authorities awaiting extradition.

An extradition hearing was expected to be held yesterday, the outcome of which is not yet been released.

Burgon, of Field House Farm, in Dalton Piercy, Hartlepool, disappeared a year ago while awaiting trial at Teesside Crown Court for alleged offences of rape, attempted rape, and three allegations of indecent assault against a girl.

He was made the subject of a Europe-wide arrest warrant.

Burgon had already been locked up for 18 months at Teesside Crown Court in 2010 after he admitted two counts of gross indecency with a child. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years and part of that order was to notify the police of change of address

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: “Cleveland Police can confirm that a 76-year-old man was arrested yesterday, Sunday, December 29, by Spanish authorities, on suspicion of breach of a court order.

“He is currently in the custody of the Spanish authorities awaiting extradition proceedings.”

Burgon was due to face a trial in his absence early next year if he was not found, but now it is expected that he will attend the court proceedings, potentially in custody.

The last time he was seen at court was in November last year when he denied the sex charges against him and he was granted bail.

Several trial dates were then fixed at Teesside Crown Court but Burgon failed to turn up each time, the most recent being last month, which was the fifth court appearance in a row he had missed.

Burgon had not kept in contact with his legal team and the trials were put off every time to give the authorities a chance to track him down.

During a previous court hearing, a judge heard he has a boat, or access to a boat, somewhere in the Mediterranean.

It was decided at the latest hearing that the trial would be fixed administratively by the crown court in the new year and was expected to be heard in February at the earliest.

July 2013

Europe-wide manhunt as Hartlepool pensioner accused of raping a child flees country

A EUROPE-WIDE manhunt has been launched after a pensioner accused of raping a child fled the country.

Frank Burgon, 76, from Hartlepool, is to face trial for numerous serious sex attack allegations.

But Burgon is believed to be holed up somewhere in the Mediterranean in a bid to avoid justice, and a European-wide warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Burgon was due to be at Teesside Crown Court yesterday morning for an administrative hearing, but failed to turn up.

It was the third court date in a row he has missed since November when he denied charges of rape, attempted rape and three counts of indecent assault against a child.

Prosecutor Christopher Knox said: “The defendant was a fisherman. He has, I understand, absconded.

“He is believed to have absconded comprehensively in that he is outside the jurisdiction and there is no obvious indication that he can be returned.

“My understanding is he has a boat, or some boat is available to him in the Mediterranean somewhere.

“He has certainly not kept in touch and these matters have now been going on for some time.”

Burgon, of Field House Farm, Dalton Piercy, was due to stand trial at the crown court on March 5 but he did not show up and the case was adjourned.

A new date was set in May but he failed to attend again, and the case was re-listed again for yesterday.

Mr Knox added: “Bearing in mind he was released on bail in November last year and has conspicuously failed to keep in contact since then, in my respectful submission, it’s quite clear he was aware of the date of the trial on March 5.”

Burgon now faces being tried in his absence if he does not attend court when his trial is next set to go ahead.

Money which Burgon’s partner previously put up to guarantee he would answer bail could also be forfeit if he does not show on the next occasion.

Judge George Moorhouse said the trial is unlikely to take place for at least three or four months given the situation surrounding his whereabouts.

A police spokesman said: “Cleveland Police are currently investigating a number of historic sexual allegations which we take extremely seriously and we are actively seeking the alleged offender who may or may not be residing outside of the UK.

November 2010

Abuse victim speaks out after attacker jailed

A VICTIM of sexual abuse says his life has been transformed after he saw his attacker jailed for his vile crimes.

Frank Burgon was locked up for 18 months at Teesside Crown Court after he admitted two counts of gross indecency with a child. 

The victim, now an adult, from Hartlepool, has urged others to come forward so that perverts do not get away with their sickening crimes.

Police say sex offences against children ruin young lives and have vowed that any cases, no matter how many years ago, will be thoroughly investigated by child abuse specialists.

Burgon’s victim, who can not be named for legal reasons, has taken the brave decision to tell the Mail how the abuse affected his life in the hope that others will come forward.

He said he kept the abuse secret since his childhood because he felt ashamed about what had happened.

The brave victim said: “It has ruined my life. I was just a kid then, I was scared and thought I could hide it, put it to the back of my mind and get on with things, but I was wrong.

“You can’t stop thinking about it, it stopped me from getting on with things.

“You feel dirty and disgusting and you don’t want to tell the police because of the shame of it.”

Burgon was also given a Sexual Offenders’ Prevention Order banning him from being around children when he was sentenced on September 20.

The 72-year-old, of Bruce Crescent, Hartlepool, was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

His victim added: “I no longer blame myself for what happened. But it still hurts talking about it.

“Now I can look to the future. I know I need counselling but since he was jailed everything seems to be going well for me. The nightmares have stopped 

“But the main thing for me is that he won’t be allowed near a kid again for the rest of his life.”

He said that since the truth came out he has been given a huge amount of support to help him cope with his ordeal.

He added: “The police have been fantastic, especially Detective Constable Zoe McCarthy.

“I told my wife and she burst out crying, but she has been absolutely unbelievable.

“I asked her how she has stuck by me and she said she knew I would do something when I was ready, and I know if I did nothing I wouldn’t be with her because she has put up with so much.

“But that is why people should come forward. It eats away at you and you can’t move on, you end up destroying your own life.

“If I can get justice after so long anyone who has been through what I have can.”

DC Zoe McCarthy, who led the police investigation, said: “The sexual abuse of children ruins lives.

“In this case the sexual abuse has had a devastating effect upon the victim.

“Sexual offences against children no matter how many years ago will be thoroughly investigated by the child abuse investigation unit of Cleveland Police”.

Helen Britton House is a purpose- built referral centre run by Cleveland Police that is designed to provide a sensitive and dedicated service for victims of rape and sexual assault.