MALCOLM HEALEY, BOYS’ BRIGADE PERVERT, JAILED OVER 50 YEARS IN LEEDS

In June 2014, Malcolm Healey, an 84-year-old man from Fulneck near Pudsey, was sentenced to more than 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges of indecent assault. Healey, who held the position of Boys’ Brigade captain, used his reputation as a respected community member to exploit and abuse a young boy, Hugh Norton.

Mr. Norton, now 67, chose to waive his anonymity to openly speak about the torment inflicted by Healey, expressing relief at seeing his abuser brought to justice after decades of silence. He stated: “For half a lifetime Healey has hidden his sordid secrets behind a carefully constructed veneer of respectability while posing as a pillar of the community. I have struggled beneath a burden of guilt and shame, and I am grateful that the burden has at last been lifted and the lies exposed to public scrutiny. For many years, he was seen as a ‘Mr Nice Guy,’ but the reality was that he was a snake in the grass who has finally been dragged out of the shadows.”

Healey was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court after admitting to 15 counts of indecent assault committed against a boy under 16. Throughout his life, Healey was also a long-standing member of the Fulneck Moravian Church committee. Court proceedings revealed that he often assaulted Mr. Norton during church services, particularly in the choir stalls.

Mr. Norton expressed his feelings about the betrayal: “I hate him because I lost many good years and friendships with my parents because of what he did. It was a cynical betrayal of trust in the most callous way.”

The abuse started when Mr. Norton was just ten years old, participating in the Junior section of the Boys' Brigade called the Life Boys. His suffering continued until he was 15, which led him to join the army as a boy soldier in an effort to escape Healey’s abuse.

He recounted: “When the offending began, I was a bright student at my local school, and winning a scholarship to Leeds Grammar School, my hopes of a military career were encouraged by my teachers and parents. However, my early adolescence was overshadowed by the shame, fear, and doubts that this perverse relationship had fostered.”

Despite the immediate relief he felt upon escaping Healey’s clutches, Mr. Norton emphasized that the impact of the abuse lasted a lifetime. “The relief at escaping was immense and immediate, but I have not been able to escape these effects throughout my life. Only now, in my later years and with the support of my current wife, do I feel able to confront this past demon,” he said.

Court documents detailed how Healey used his trusted community status to groom young victims before assaulting them over many years. The first known incident occurred during a camping trip in the Yorkshire Dales in 1957. Prosecutor Howard Shaw described how Healey would sometimes ask Mr. Norton to stay behind after Boys’ Brigade meetings, where he would then assault him. As Healey grew more confident, he continued his abuse during Moravian Church gatherings. Mr. Norton remembered an incident around the age of 12 when Healey targeted him in the church choir stalls, and at 14, Healey visited him at home while he was ill, assaulting him in his bed while his mother was out of the room.

Healey’s lawyer, Nicholas Hammond, argued that his client was remorseful, emphasizing that Healey had a specific sexual interest in Mr. Norton but not in boys generally. Hammond presented letters of reference from the community, highlighting Healey’s contributions over more than 50 years.

Judge Penelope Belcher acknowledged the breach of trust: “This was an abuse of trust. Those boys would have looked at you for leadership and guidance and would not have challenged what you did.”

Detective Inspector Lawrence Bone of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit welcomed the conviction, stating: “We are very pleased that Healey has now been brought to account for his crimes. No one should underestimate the long-term damage such offences cause. Many victims carry the scars for decades without telling anyone. For some, the opportunity to disclose is never reached, while others only come forward after many years of doubt and trauma. I want to assure anyone who has suffered abuse that West Yorkshire Police has specialized safeguarding officers ready to listen and investigate, and we will do everything possible to see offenders like Healey brought to justice.”