Nick Thorpe convicted after victim spotted him posing with children in local paper

A paedophile Scout leader who invited boys to his home before plying them with alcohol and sexually abusing them was caught after a victim saw him posing with children in a local paper.

Married Nick Thorpe, 48, was jailed for 14 years at Portsmouth Crown Court for preying on members of the group between 1996 and 2005. He was caught when one victim – now in his 30s – saw this photo of the pervert surrounded by young Scouts in newspaper, Portsmouth News, and reported him to the police. Following the trial, two further victims came forward alleging that they too had been abused by him as children. Pervert: The married man was jailed for 14 years after his first conviction prompted two more victims to come forward Thorpe, from Portsmouth, Hants, was then convicted of an additional two counts of gross indecency with a child and one count of indecent assault.

He was sentenced to a further three years for these offences, two of which will run concurrently and one consecutively, taking the time he is due to serve to 14 years. The Scout master of 27 years was also made to sign the Sex Offenders Register.

Owen Woods, from Hampshire Constabulary, said: ‘I would like to acknowledge the extreme courage displayed by the victims in this case. We understand that it is not unusual for those who were subject to abuse to come forward later in life.

If you or somebody you know were subject to abuse please do not hesitate to contact our specialist child abuse solicitors. We will treat any communications with the strictest of confidence.