ANTONY ALLEN FROM PLAISTOW JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN ESSEX, KENT, AND WALES

In April 2018, Antony Allen, a 27-year-old man from Plaistow, Newham, was sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being convicted of multiple serious child sex offences. The case revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse that spanned over four years, involving young boys at various locations across Essex, Kent, and Wales.

Allen, who had been a volunteer at the 25th Newham East Scout Group for a decade, exploited his position of trust to prey on vulnerable children. His crimes included six counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and six counts of engaging in sexual activity with a minor under 15. The victims ranged in age from as young as eight to sixteen, and the abuse took place at different times between January 2013 and September 2017. These incidents occurred at multiple sites, including the victims’ homes and scout camps, where Allen often used the guise of support and camaraderie to gain access to the boys.

During the period of these offences, Allen was employed as a teaching assistant for a year and later worked as a learning mentor at a primary school, positions that further complicated the betrayal of trust. The investigation was initiated after one victim, concerned about his younger brother’s upcoming move from cubs to Allen’s scout group, urged his mother to remove him from the scouts. Initially dismissing the concern as a joke, the mother became alarmed when her son and other relatives confirmed the allegations, prompting her to contact the police.

The police inquiry uncovered a disturbing pattern of grooming. Allen would initiate contact through text messages, starting with casual banter that gradually escalated to sexually explicit conversations. He exploited the close physical proximity of scout camping trips, often surprising victims in toilets or persuading them into his tent under the pretense of offering support. Once isolated, he would subject the boys to unwanted physical contact. One victim, who was first assaulted at age 10, estimated that sexual touching occurred between 60 and 100 times.

Allen also manipulated the trust of families by befriending parents and children, often helping with errands and taking children on outings, which allowed him to groom both the boys and their families. Several parents described him as helpful and supportive, unaware of his true intentions. In one particularly alarming incident, Allen assaulted a 13-year-old boy in his own bedroom while the boy’s mother and sibling were outside in the garden. Another victim, who viewed Allen as a second father, was deeply affected by the betrayal, with some victims feeling too embarrassed to speak openly about the sexual suggestions they received, even resorting to writing notes to police.

The legal proceedings began with Allen’s appearance at Thames Magistrates’ Court on October 4, 2017, where he was remanded to appear at the Old Bailey. He later appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on April 13, 2018, where he was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison. The court found him guilty of 12 sexual offences involving minors, including sexual assault and sexual activity with children, as well as possessing numerous indecent images of children. These images ranged from Category A to Category C, with a total of 611 Category C images, along with videos, including one Category A and ten Category B videos.

In addition to the sexual offences, Allen was found to have made and possessed a significant number of indecent images, including 20 Category C images of children he knew, three Category A images, and 28 Category B images. He was also found in possession of one Category A video and ten Category B videos. His actions have left a lasting impact on his victims and have been met with widespread condemnation from the community and law enforcement authorities alike.