Farleys Solicitors have received instructions to act for victims of John Edward Bates who was jailed last week for 20 years having been found guilty of eighteen charges of indecent assault and indecency with a child.
Mr Bates was a Scout Leader in Wittering and later in Spalding, Lincolnshire. He abused various boys between March 1972 and October 1989.
Judge Simon Hirst when sentencing him described him as a predatory man who abused the enormous trust placed in him by his victims.
The victims in this case were badly damaged psychologically by their experiences. One victim said
“You did them all real lasting damage – you did it for no other reason than to obtain sexual gratification for yourself”.
Another victim dubbed Bates a “monster, the Jimmy Savile of the Scouting world”. Detective Sergeant Wilkinson speaking outside Court confirmed the damage John Bates had done to his victims causing lasting misery and upset.
Ironically Bates went on to serve with Lincolnshire Police between 1976 and 1983 and had previously served a four year jail sentence for offences against young boys imposed after an investigation in 1982.
We have already received instructions to act on behalf of one of the victims of this paedophile and suspect that there will be many more victims yet to come forward. The claims are being dealt with by Jonathan Bridge a partner and specialist in abuse claims at Farleys solicitors and if you do wish to discuss any aspect arising from this matter we would encourage you to contact us.