‘Predatory paedophile’ who served as school governor jailed for 14 years

A “PREDATORY” paedophile who abused eight children, including two from Cork, while serving as a respected parish councillor and school governor in England was jailed for 14 years yesterday.

Outwardly, William Barber was regarded as a “pillar of the community” in Brockworth, near Gloucester, but he was secretly preying on vulnerable children as young as five.

At Gloucester Crown Court this week, he was convicted of 18 charges of indecently assaulting or committing gross indecency with his eight victims over a 13-year period.

Yesterday, Judge Jamie Tabor told him: “During the course of this case you have not shown, as far as I can see, one scintilla of concern for your victims. You have only shown concern for yourself.”

Barber remained impassive as he stood during his sentencing, occasionally putting one hand to his chin, folding his arms, or gripping the dock rail with both hands.

His facial expression remained unchanged throughout and when the judge concluded “you may go down”, Barber picked up his glasses case and said: “Thank you, your honour.”

Three of his victims were in court to hear his sentencing and afterwards, two voiced their dismay that he is likely to be released on parole after serving seven years.

One said: “I would have liked to see him locked up for the rest of his life. I hate to think that he might have the chance to abuse other children in future like he abused us. I have nieces and nephews and I wouldn’t like to see them hurt the way I was.

“It was very upsetting having to give evidence in court about what he did to me. I was behind a screen so he couldn’t see me but it was still horrible knowing he was there listening to me.”

Another of his victims — a woman who first complained about Barber in 2003 only for the police to take no action — said she felt vindicated at last.

“I was only about 12 when I made a video statement to the police, but nothing happened because they didn’t feel the evidence was strong enough,” she said.

“I thought for the next seven years that he had got away with it altogether so I was amazed and delighted when the police rang me last year and said there had been another complaint and they were revisiting my case.”

Two of Barber’s victims were girls from west Cork. It was one of them who made the complaint to police last year that sparked the new investigation.

They had told how Barber visited their family in Cork and abused one of them while there. He then molested both girls when they were visiting his home in Brockworth.

Barber, who had steadfastly denied all the allegations, was said by the prosecution to be a “predatory paedophile”, who had repeatedly abused his trusted position as a “pillar of the community” in Brockworth, where he was chairman of the Tenants Association.

He was also a parish councillor, a registered foster parent from 1977 to 1989, a governor of two schools, as well as the chairman of the Brockworth Tenants’ Association, and, for a brief period, a school caretaker.

When the jury convicted him yesterday of 16 offences of indecent assault and two of gross indecency, prosecutor Ian Fenny revealed that four other girls and women have since made other allegations against him.

But in view of the outcome of his trial, the prosecution has decided not to proceed with those cases, he said — unless any further new allegations come to light.

Preying on the weak

WILLIAM BARBER was said by the prosecution at the start of the trial to be a man who “preyed on the obvious weaknesses and vulnerabilities” of a child.

He would often ensure the silence of his victims by warning them that, if they said anything to anyone, they would be taken away from their mothers and families.

Judge Jamie Tabor pointed out that had he committed his offences more recently than 1999 he would have risked an indefinite sentence under current British legislation. The only mitigation in the case, he said, was that Barber had not raped any of his victims.

“Over a period of at least 10 years you have sexually abused eight young people, seven girls and one boy,” said the judge. “In most cases they were very young, under the age of ten.”

Four of the victims had been abused numerous times each, he said, and one had given evidence that it felt like Barber molested her every time she visited his home.

“Most of the children were highly vulnerable. The two children from Ireland came from a very unstable background, as you well knew.

“I have no doubt, having heard these young people give evidence and seen the dignified way they gave evidence that your actions have left indelible psychological scars on most if not all of them.”

“Your actions continue to have an effect on their ability to have normal relationships with members of the opposite sex. It is unlikely these psychological injuries will ever be put right . . . Your actions really took away their childhoods and childhood memories far, far too early in their lives.”

Det Sgt Nigel Hatten, of Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, said that had it not been for the courage of the victims, Barber, of Southgate Street, Gloucester, may have remained free to prey upon other vulnerable young people.