JOHN BUSH FROM ASKERN SENTENCED FOR KIDNAPPING AND SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING DONCASTER GIRL NEAR EUSTON LONDON

In November 2013, a disturbing case unfolded involving John Bush, a man from Askern, who was convicted of abducting a 14-year-old girl from near Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The incident prompted a nationwide police investigation and a subsequent court hearing that revealed the troubling details of his actions.

According to court records, Bush disappeared with the young girl in June after she had been placed with foster parents, an event that sparked a large-scale search involving multiple police forces across the country. The girl, whose identity remains protected, was only 14 years old at the time, and her disappearance was considered a serious breach of her safety and well-being.

The police investigation uncovered that Bush and the girl had exchanged approximately 250 text messages in the two days leading up to the abduction, indicating premeditation and a disturbing level of planning. The pair traveled together from the area near Doncaster to various locations, including Pontefract in West Yorkshire and Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. During their journey, Bush managed to persuade a landlord at a village pub to provide him with two rooms, falsely claiming that the girl was his daughter. The landlord, unaware of the true situation, allowed Bush to stay, but he left the next day without settling the bill.

Following this, Bush continued his journey southward, staying with the girl in Watford, Hertfordshire, before heading into London. Their movements culminated at Euston railway station in central London, where they were eventually spotted by a British Transport Police officer. This sighting led to Bush's arrest and the end of the manhunt.

During the court proceedings, Judge Paul Watson sentenced Bush to a total of six years in prison. The sentence was broken down into three and a half years for sexual activity with a child and two years for child abduction. Additionally, Bush received a six-month sentence for breaching a previously suspended sentence and a 12-month sentence for failing to pay for a hotel room, although the latter will run concurrently with the other sentences. Bush, who pleaded guilty to all charges, was thus held accountable for his actions.

Judge Watson expressed his condemnation of Bush’s conduct, stating, “She was a vulnerable little girl leading a chaotic lifestyle through no fault of her own. At a time when she needed stability and guidance in her life, you took her away from the people responsible for providing that for her.” The judge also remarked on the possible motivations behind Bush’s actions, saying, “I’m satisfied that (sex), if not your prime motivation, was certainly a very strong motivation for your conduct.”

It was also revealed that Bush has a long history of convictions related to dishonesty, including scams involving money and property dating back to 1997. His criminal record underscores a pattern of deceitful behavior.

Defense lawyer Nicholas De La Poer stated that Bush had shown “real regret and remorse” for his actions. He argued that the abduction was not primarily motivated by sexual intent but was instead an impulsive act carried out on the spur of the moment, “making it up as he went along.”

In a related context, Bush had previously been sentenced in February to a 14-month suspended prison term for fraud, which included orders to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. Det Ch Insp Craig Robinson of South Yorkshire Police highlighted the significance of the case, emphasizing the extensive efforts of law enforcement agencies nationwide. Robinson noted, “The disappearance of the girl led to a nationwide hunt involving many police forces and other agencies. Bush was guilty not only of abducting a child, but he went on the run across the country in a deliberate attempt to evade arrest. Thanks to the professionalism, dedication and hard work of the investigation team, and with the support of our colleagues up and down the country, we built an unassailable case against Bush which helped secure his guilty pleas today, so sparing the child and witnesses the upset of having to give evidence at a trial and saving the public the expense of a trial.”

Overall, the case underscores the serious nature of child abduction and sexual offenses, and the justice system’s commitment to holding offenders accountable, especially in cases involving vulnerable minors and cross-regional law enforcement cooperation.