CARE WORKER JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE
A senior residential care worker named John Duncan, aged 48, of Guernsey Road, Grindon, Sunderland, was sentenced to nine years in prison for a series of sexual abuses involving vulnerable boys.Duncan groomed the victims before sexually assaulting them, with one victim he took on trips to Africa.
He admitted to multiple counts of indecent assault on two boys and a serious sexual assault at two different homes in the 1980s and 1990s.
The court was told that Duncan's behavior was 'deviant' and he subjected the complainants to prolonged and repeated abuse.
The victims, some of whom were not teenagers when abused, misconstrued his acts as gestures of affection, with one recalling crying in his pyjamas while Duncan molested him.
Duncan was sentenced to nine years, followed by three years of close supervision and an indefinite placement on the Sex Offenders' Register.
The prosecutor noted Duncan was not violent but likely used a non-confrontational approach to gain trust, enabling him to commit these acts.
The judge emphasized that Duncan's abuse caused further damage to already vulnerable children, and public cheers were heard as the sentence was announced.
Barnardo's regional director expressed horror at Duncan's betrayal of trust.
