National Lottery winning charity worker jailed for child sex crimes after sting

Anthony Dugard, 60, was arrested connected July 4, 2024, successful Swindon successful Wiltshire wherever helium had travelled to conscionable who helium thought was a kid with the volition of abusing them

A National Lottery winning foundation idiosyncratic has been jailed to 4 years successful prison for kid enactment maltreatment offences following a constabulary sting.

Anthony Dugard, 60, of Park Drive successful Grimsby, Lincolnshire, was arrested connected July 4, 2024, successful Swindon, Wiltshire, wherever helium had travelled to conscionable who helium thought was a kid with the volition of abusing them. Instead, helium was met by constabulary officers. He pleaded blameworthy to 4 kid enactment offences and was remanded successful custody.

Following his remand and upon introspection of his mobile telephone, officers became alert of further offences committed against a existent child. The child, who was lone 15-years-old erstwhile she was abused by Dugard, was capable to supply grounds that helium had coerced and exploited her implicit a play of respective months.

Dugard was charged and subsequently pleaded blameworthy to a further 5 kid intersexual maltreatment offences. In her idiosyncratic interaction statement, the victim’s parent said: “It makes maine truthful bittersweet that [she] has been done this and I’m truthful atrocious that I couldn’t support her. The actions of this antheral person caused maine to consciousness similar I person fto my girl down massively and for that I americium genuinely sorry.

“I americium truthful arrogant of her and the information that she has taken the large measurement of voicing her truths and telling the police what happened to her and instrumentality comfortableness successful knowing that she tin present find bid and commencement her healing process, knowing that the wrongs volition beryllium righted. [She] has made maine precise arrogant by speaking retired and successful knowing that she volition person helped galore others successful doing so.”

While moving arsenic a occurrence hazard assessor, the Grimsby Telegraph reported helium spent “a batch of clip with full-time fire, ambulance and constabulary personnel.” Dugard was besides a National Lottery victor and won portion of £2.2 cardinal successful 2009 from a syndicate. He and his wife, who person 2 daughters, each pocketed £275,000.

He aboriginal volunteered to assistance the constabulary and exigency services with a Grimsby charity, Blue Light Brigade, performing location information checks. He was besides president of Park Drive Neighbourhood Watch, erstwhile helium worked with councillors to tackle antisocial behaviour.

DI David Wells from SWROCU said: “Dugard has caused important suffering to the unfortunate and her household and I convey her for speaking up astir his predatory behaviour. He poses a important hazard to children and I invited the condemnation handed down to him today.”

Dugard was sentenced astatine Swindon Crown Court connected Friday, November 22 to 4 years successful situation and volition besides beryllium connected the Sex Offenders’ Register for beingness and beryllium taxable to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.

Whilst handing him his sentence, Judge JN Townsend told the court: “I wage tribute to the unfortunate successful this lawsuit to her engagement to the Criminal Justice Process successful bringing Mr Dugard to justice.” Dugard was arrested arsenic portion of a proactive constabulary cognition led by the Online Investigations Team astatine the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

This squad works alongside a nationalist web of officers tackling offences online, including kid intersexual maltreatment and exploitation. The NSPCC website has wide and extended proposal for parents and carers, children and young people, and professionals to support harmless online. If you person concerns astir your ain usage of the net oregon inappropriate thoughts oregon behaviour astir children, oregon you are disquieted astir however idiosyncratic you cognize behaves, interaction the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.