Fury as runaway paedophile is treated as missing person
A POLICE force came under fire yesterday after failing to warn parents about a runaway convicted paedophile because he was too “vulnerable”.
Officers in Gloucestershire were branded insane after describing 63-year-old John Barden as an ordinary missing person for four days.
Serial abuser Barden was once described as “dangerous” by a judge who heard how he had attacked a six-year-old boy.
But when he absconded from lodgings assigned under a sex offences court order earlier this week, officers failed to mention his past in their appeal for information.
Instead they decided the force had a “duty of care” to Barden because “medical issues” had raised fears for his welfare.
Only yesterday did they warn people that he was a registered sex offender who “presents a risk”.
Marilyn Hawes, founder of child protection charity Enough Abuse UK, said: “This is insane but so common. The police have responded in a way which is irresponsible and then tried to cover up their own failings. But they are failing the most vulnerable – innocent children. Whose side are they on? Life just seems to always be pro-offender support and care rather than victim support and care.”
Barden was living in supervised lodgings in Cheltenham under the terms of a sexual offences prevention order imposed after the latest in a string of crimes stretching back at least 20 years.
His record includes the sexual assault on a six-year-old boy in Peterborough, 12 years ago, after convincing his parents he was not a threat.
Barden, who already had two child sex convictions, went on the run after he was arrested and was finally picked up seven months later in Wales.
At his sentencing in 2006 at Peterborough Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Coleman branded Barden “dangerous” after he admitted forcing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. He was jailed for four years.
After his disappearance this week, Gloucestershire Police said only that the missing man was “vulnerable” and had last been seen in Lansdown, Cheltenham.
But yesterday the force admitted he had breached the sexual offences order by leaving his lodgings.
Detective Superintendent Simon Atkinson said: “Issuing a wanted appeal like this is a very serious matter and we do not want to scaremonger. However, Barden’s disappearance does present real cause for concern.
“Please do not approach or attempt to apprehend Barden – call the authorities straight away.” Last night the force said Barden had been rearrested in Gloucester and will appear before Cheltenham magistrates in connection with the alleged breach of the order.
A spokesman added: “It was initially issued as a missing person appeal as there were concerns for Barden’s welfare due to a number of physical and mental health issues.
“The Constabulary has a duty of care to anyone who is reported missing. However, as further inquiries were made into the circumstances of the incident, it was deemed that the risk to the public was greater than any risk to him and a wanted appeal was necessary.”