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Ex Choirmaster "Robbed Abuse Victims of Childhood"

BBC News
April 9, 2018

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-43702164

Richard Lucas, 68, met the victims at All Saints United Church in Longwell Green

A former choirmaster has been jailed for sexually abusing two boys in the 1980s and 1990s.

Richard Lucas, 68, met the victims at All Saints United Church in Longwell Green, South Gloucestershire.

He was convicted of 11 counts of indecent assault and sentenced to eight-and-a-half years at Bristol Crown Court.

Police said he had "robbed his victims of their childhoods".

The Diocese of Bristol said it was "deeply saddened and shocked" by his actions.

After the hearing, investigating officer Det Con Clare Ball of Avon and Somerset Police said: "Richard Lucas was calculating and used his position of trust to select boys he could manipulate and abuse.

"Both victims said the abuse they suffered robbed them of their childhoods, affected their education and continues to impact on them in their adult life."

'Destroyed'

One of the victims said the crimes had impacted his confidence and relationship with his wife and children but he was relieved to find justice at last.

"This has been a long journey of burying my head in the sand and trying to live with the pain and hurt caused to me by Richard Lucas and a false belief that if I ignored the past, somehow the events never occurred," he said.

"I want him to understand how his actions destroyed and damaged an impressionable child."

Det Con Clare Ball of Avon and Somerset Police said Lucas had robbed his victims of their childhood

A spokesman for the Diocese of Bristol said: "We offer an unreserved apology to all the survivors and those affected by his abuse.

"We take any allegations of abuse very seriously and would urge any survivors or those with information about church-related abuse to come forward, knowing that they will be listened to, no matter when it happened."

In court Lucas said he "totally" regretted what he had done.

 

 

 

 

 




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