19th Jun 2017

The Scout movement under scrutiny again

Earlier this year, former Scout leader Paul Cherrett pleaded guilty at Bournemouth Crown Court to 10 counts of indecent assault on a male, three counts of indecency with a child and four counts of possession of indecent photographs of a child. He was sentenced on 11 April 2017 to 9 years imprisonment and placed on the sex offenders register for life.  A Sexual harm prevention order for life was also made.

The previous year, at Bournemouth Crown Court  on 4th August 2016 Cherrett had pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and was initially sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.  Following Cherrett’s guilty plea in 2016, the police appealed for other victims to come forward and a further eight individuals then gave evidence.  This led to Cherrett’s second conviction in April 2017.

Paul Cherrett was an active member of the Scouts and became an assistant Scout Leader for the 21st Bournemouth Scout Group in 1972.   He continued in this role until 1977 when he volunteered to become the Assistant District Commissioner for the Bournemouth West District, a role he continued in until 1988.

It is now evident that Cherrett started abusing boys within the movement in the 1970's and continued to abuse boys unchallenged until the 1980’s.  It was then that fears over Cherrett’s inappropriate behaviour led to concerns being reported to the Scout Association.  Cherrett was then banned from leading Scout meetings but he continued to act as treasurer.  Despite the concerns raised about Cherrett's conduct in the 1980's, in 2010 Cherrett returned to the Scouts in the role of District Scout Active Support Member and treasurer at Butcher’s Coppice.  In 2016, CCTV in the tuck shop recorded Cherrett abusing a young boy.  The CCTV sent alerts, including still images to a senior scout leaders mobile telephone and he alerted the police.  Cherrett was then charged with one count of sexual activity with a child.

Robsonshaw solicitors are already representing victims of Paul Cherrett in civil claims compensation against the Scouts.  If you or a family member have been affected by sexual abuse at the hands of Paul Cherrett, please contact Samantha Robson on sam@robsonshaw.uk. Sam has successfully pursued numerous claims against the Scouts over the past 12 years and has some notable victories, including gaining a six figure settlement for a rape victim abused within the Scouting movement.

Category: Scouts