A shameless paedophile who sexually abused schoolboys in a cupboard failed to apologise and told MyLondon ‘you need to understand the circumstances at the time’ as he left court. Richard Gaines was back at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, May 14, after a seventh victim bravely stepped forward and reported him to police after reading newspaper articles about his offending.
The 79-year-old former geography teacher at St Martin’s Preparatory School, in Northwood, North West London, was convicted and jailed for five years and two months in 2019 for a string of offences against six boys dating back to the 1970s. The predator’s modus operandi was to offer sex education, show them porn mags, then take them into a storage cupboard for mutual sex acts.
On Tuesday, the court also heard about allegations of ‘recent internet offences’, but there was no update on the police investigation. Outside the courthouse, MyLondon asked Gaines if he wanted to explain the so-called ‘circumstances’ at the time of the abuse, but he repeatedly refused to explain or apologise to his victims, and then called our reporter a ‘really rather persistent little so-and-so’.
READ MORE: Brixton Market trader ‘Jeff the Chef’ jailed for historic sex attack on girl, 13, after she speaks out 18 years later
Prosecutor Edmund Fowler told the court the latest victim broke their silence after reading about the case, recognising the ‘almost identical’ abuse. The victim recalled being asked to look at pornography in the cupboard, along with younger and smaller boys, before Gaines abused them for around 30 minutes on two occasions between 1973 and 1977, the court heard.
Mr Fowler said it left the victim so traumatised and racked with guilt that they struggled to make friends and felt they could only work in solitary jobs. At a pre-trial hearing, Gaines admitted two counts of gross indecency with the child, bringing his total number of convictions for the historic abuse to nine, and his known victims to seven.
Mr Fowler explained the maximum penalty for the specific offence at the time, in the 1970s, was two years, but these days it would fall under laws against sexual activity with a child, which could earn a sentence of around six years. The prosecutor argued Gaines fell into the highest level of culpability under current laws due to the grooming, abuse of trust, and disparity in age.
‘Fun for all’
Gaines – who still ‘shows very little remorse’ – accused his victim of looking for a payout and even described his sickening abuse as ‘fun for all’ during an interview with a probation officer. Defence counsel Richard Davies interpreted his ‘very little remorse’ as ‘some remorse’ as he called for a suspended sentence and a doorstep curfew.
The barrister said his client had already served a sentence, and argued, accounting for the legal principles of totality and concurrency, the jail term in 2019 would not have been much longer for an identical offence. “The real point I can put forward in mitigation,” Mr Davies said, “is the fact he has served a prison sentence previously for other boys in the same circumstances.”
Mr Davies also said Gaines was needed at home to care for his sick wife and had suffered from cancer himself. “This is someone who could be dealt with in the community, but monitored to make sure it does not happen again in his life,” added Mr Davies.
‘Repulsive observation’
Sparing him custody, Judge John Robins said his ‘hands are tied’ by the previous conviction and five-year sentence Gaines served from 2019. The judge concluded his sentence would ‘not have been much longer’ had the latest offence been added to the indictment before the previous judge, and therefore it did not warrant another immediate jail term.
Judge Johnson told Gaines: “Your pre-sentence report shows very little remorse, and your perversion was demonstrated when you described your offending as ‘fun for all’. Your remark that this man came forward for compensation is a repulsive observation… Having said those things, in many ways, my hands are tied by what has happened to you since this offending.
“I have to sentence you as the facts are and the law is before me, and it gives me no pleasure that you will not be returning to prison. The victim may be disappointed in this, but he will appreciate the law.
“I was appalled to see in your license report that it is alleged you were still committing internet offences when police visited you… Those alleged offences took place relatively recently.”
Suspending his 18-month sentence for two years, the judge added: “I cannot think of a worse case of this type of offending, taking into account the ages of the victims and the abuse of trust… I hope you are thoroughly ashamed of yourself for this offending.”
Gaines was also ordered to complete the Horizon sex offenders programme and to do 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirement. He will also pay costs of £1,000. The court also heard a civil action is apparently underway, which may allow victims to receive compensation. Legal firm Irwin Mitchell previously said it had been instructed by one victim to help them access specialist support.
Got a story or a court case we should cover? Please email [email protected] or WhatsApp 07580255582
Don’t miss out on the latest crime stories from across London. Sign up to MyLondon’s Court & Crime newsletter HERE
