CRAIG/ANNE FOSTER SHOCKS CUMBRIA AND BARROW WITH CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND DECEPTION

In May 2019, a disturbing case emerged involving Craig Foster, a man with a dark history of sexual offenses, who manipulated and deceived multiple women and their children in the towns of Barrow and Millom, Cumbria. Foster, aged 54 and residing on Lindal Street in Barrow, falsely claimed to have served in the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment and to have worked in child protection for the police. His stated intention was to 'fly under the radar' due to his alleged sensitive work with the armed forces and law enforcement agencies. However, these claims were entirely fabricated, serving only to mask his true identity as a convicted sex offender with a lengthy criminal record.

Foster’s criminal past is extensive and deeply troubling. He had previously served a four-year prison sentence for using his then-wife as bait to lure a 14-year-old boy to their home in Sedbergh, where Foster and his wife engaged in sexual activities with the minor in the late 1990s. His crimes also included sexually assaulting a young boy and having unlawful sexual relations with a teenage girl. As a result, Foster was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which banned him from any contact with children indefinitely. Despite this, he continued to manipulate and deceive those around him.

In 2013, Foster was jailed for four years after he used his then-wife to lure a 14-year-old boy into their home, where they engaged in sexual debauchery. During the recent court proceedings at Preston Crown Court, it was revealed that Foster had started a relationship with a woman who had two teenage daughters. He would visit her home most evenings, often staying overnight, and even helped decorate one of the children’s bedrooms, establishing a bond with the children. When this relationship ended, Foster moved on to another woman, also with teenage children, with whom he maintained contact.

One particularly alarming incident involved Foster instructing a young boy to hide when passing a police car during a car trip from Millom to Barrow. Foster claimed he was only insured to carry two passengers, which was a lie designed to conceal his manipulative behavior. Judge Simon Medland QC condemned Foster’s conduct as manipulative and dishonest, highlighting his blatant disregard for the conditions of his SOPO and his manipulative tactics to evade detection. Foster’s lies and deceitful actions demonstrated a clear pattern of dishonesty and manipulation, which ultimately led to his re-imprisonment.

Following his arrest, the first woman who had been involved with Foster expressed her feelings of betrayal and horror upon discovering that she had allowed a known paedophile into her home, granting him access to her children. Foster had developed a bond with her children and even paid money into one of the girl’s bank accounts, although there was no evidence to suggest he had physically abused them. The court heard that Foster’s behavior was so serious that Judge Medland decided to send him back to prison immediately, despite Foster’s own fears of returning to custody. The judge emphasized that Foster’s claims of needing to 'keep below the radar' due to his supposed military background were false, and that his actions, including asking a boy to hide from police, demonstrated a blatant breach of his SOPO.

Foster admitted to two breaches of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order and was sentenced to an additional two years in prison. The court’s findings underscored the severity of his violations and the ongoing threat he posed to the community. The case also included a detailed account from a 14-year-old boy, who, in the late 1990s, was sexually assaulted by Foster and his then-wife at their Sedbergh home. The boy, now an adult, testified that the abuse had a profound and lasting impact on his life, leading to confusion about his sexuality and heavy drinking. He only disclosed the abuse after seeing Foster in the street last year, which prompted him to come forward.

During the trial, Foster, then aged 32 and known as Barry Harding, pleaded guilty to six charges of indecent assault. His ex-wife, Anne-Marie Foster, aged 37, denied three similar charges but was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Both individuals were placed on the sex offenders register and prohibited from working with children in the future. The court heard that Foster had used his wife as bait to lure the boy into their home, where both of them engaged in sexual activities. The trial revealed that the boy was vulnerable, lacking confidence and struggling with his identity, which Foster exploited to manipulate him into returning for multiple encounters over several nights.

Judge Paul Batty QC described the case as 'truly depressing and disgusting,' emphasizing the gravity of the offenses committed by Foster and his ex-wife. The court’s findings serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by individuals with a history of sexual offending who continue to deceive and manipulate vulnerable victims and their families.