GARY PEACH SENTENCED IN CROYDON FOR GROOMING CHILDREN AT SWANLEY AND NEW BARN RAILWAY

On June 23rd, 2011, Gary Peach, a 23-year-old man from Wallington, was sentenced after being convicted of grooming children at Swanley and New Barn Railway. Peach used his rare 7¼-inch gauge model Midland Blue Pullman train, which features passenger carriages and was reportedly the only one of its kind in the world, to attract young boys.

Peach befriended children at the Swanley and New Barn Railway club by showcasing his train, which he later put up for sale at £21,000, having originally purchased it for £17,000. He has prior convictions dating back to 2007 for possessing images related to child-sex abuse.

He appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on June 22nd, where it was revealed that he frequented the railway club during over-18 open days in Swanley Park, times when children were often present. During these visits, he befriended some junior members, including a 15-year-old boy, with whom he exchanged emails ending with “love you.” They attended railway festivals together in Brighton and Doncaster, with Peach staying overnight and even picking up the boy from school.

In May of the previous year, police stopped Peach with five children in his car—four of whom were under 16—leading to the police application for a sexual offences prevention order. A police report indicated there was a serious risk of sexual harm to mid-teen boys.

Following this, a five-year sexual offences prevention order was imposed on Peach. Ron Dewar, publicity manager of Woking Railway Society and familiar with Peach from railway meetings, expressed disbelief at the accusations. “I can’t believe it. He was popular and everyone got on with him. He gave the children a lift in his train. They really liked him,” Dewar said.

He added that the railway club regularly conducted criminal background checks on attendees and that Peach would have been checked before participating. Dewar noted that Peach had a team of 13- and 14-year-olds helping him operate his train and that he traveled across the country to various railway events with these young helpers.

Peach’s criminal history includes a 2007 conviction for 13 counts of making child-sex abuse images, for which he received a community sentence and was added to the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults registers. He had previously claimed that being teased in school about the size of his feet and his penis contributed to feelings of insecurity. In July 2008, he unsuccessfully appealed his placement on these lists at a Care Standards Tribunal.