'Predator' jailed (From Penarth Times)

'Predator' jailed

A PENARTH father-of-three has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years for sex assaults on teenagers.

Married Anthony Burke, 60, abused three boys aged between 13 and 17 in a remand centre for children awaiting trials for alleged crimes.

Cardiff Crown Court heard teacher Burke, of Petrel Close, Lavernock, was arrested for the assaults, which took place nearly 30 years ago, in the major police investigation Operation Goldfinch.

Sentencing Burke last Thursday, Judge Peter Jacobs described Burke as a "predator" against children in the home.

He said: "This was a gross breach of trust, reinforcing a sense of helplessness or alienation. The culture of the day was that such children were unlikely to complain and you exercised power over them."

Prosecutor David Essex-Williams told how the boys were abused while at the Penhill remand centre in Cardiff.

One victim, now married with children, was sent to Penhill after truanting from school. The boy was caught absconding from Penhill and was handed over to Burke by police.

Mr Essex-Williams said: "Burke told him to have a bath. He undressed in the basement." Burke subjected the boy to a serious sexual assault and then told him that nothing had happened before leaving.

From then on, the court heard, the boy made sure he was never alone with Burke again.

Burke went to work at Penhill between 1970 and 1975 as a teacher, also carrying out care staff duties.

He denied the allegations of the victims, now all aged in their 40s, and said he had tried to get to know the boys.

He was found guilty of three serious sexual assaults and two indecent assaults.

He was cleared of a serious sexual assault and indecent assault against a fourth boy.

Peter Kyte QC, defending, told how Burke's wife had suffered a miscarriage during the first trial after the "stress" of her husband's arrest. Mr Kyte said: "This man has moved on and he is no danger to children of any variety.

"Since his arrest a series of catastrophes have hit him and his wife. He lost his job and his wife has been blacklisted from any social work employment."

Judge Jacobs granted Burke bail the night before he was sentenced for "compassionate" reasons - to say goodbye to his wife and children.

He said: "You are not an ongoing danger. In your 30s you married a decent partner and now have three children of your own. The tragedy now is for you and your own family. The knock-on effect goes on for years and is now felt by your own wife and family."