A British fugitive on the UK’s “most wanted” list has been arrested at Heathrow Airport after spending 27 years on the run.
Richard Burrows, now 80, was charged with two counts of buggery and 11 counts of indecent assault relating to the historical abuse of children that allegedly took place between 1969 and 1971.
The former scout master is alleged to have committed the crimes at a children’s home in Congleton, Cheshire, and in Hartlebury, Worcestershire.
He had failed to turn up to court when those charges were levelled in the 1990s and has spent the years since on the run.
He was finally arrested last week after being apprehended at Heathrow Airport, having returned to the UK from Thailand.
Police carried out extensive inquiries to find and apprehend Burrows, whose full name is Richard John Ramsey Burrows, and listed him on the national crime charity Crimestoppers’ list of most wanted Britons.
He was apprehended on Thursday, March 28, following a joint operation carried out by Cheshire Police and the National Crime Agency (NCA), and will appear at Chester Crown Court on April 2.
Cheshire Police Detective Inspector Eleanor Atkinson hailed the police work that found the fugitive, saying the services have proven that “no matter how long you hide, we will find you”.
She said: “Our determination to locate Burrows has not faltered over the past 27 years, and his arrest marks a significant step forward in this case and the beginning of closure for all those involved. I would like to thank the public for the information that they have provided over the years during our search for Burrows and I hope that his arrest provides some reassurance.
“I also hope that his arrest acts as a warning to any other wanted suspects – demonstrating that no matter how long you hide, we will find you and you will be arrested.”
