RICHARD WEBB'S HORRIFIC SEXUAL ABUSE IN CHESHAM: A SHOCKING REVELATION OF CHURCH NEGLIGENCE AND CHILDHOOD TRAUMA
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Chesham Child Sexual Abuser
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Chesham, Richard Webb, a 68-year-old man, was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault and indecency involving young boys over a span of two decades. The proceedings took place at Aylesbury Crown Court, where Judge Seddon Cripps delivered the harsh sentence, highlighting the gravity of Webb's crimes and the failure of the Chesham Methodist Church to act upon known allegations.
Webb, formerly residing on Bellingdon Road in Chesham, was found guilty of 19 separate counts related to the sexual abuse of 11 boys, with the earliest offenses dating back to 1978 and the latest in 1998. The youngest victim was only nine years old at the time of the abuse. Court reports indicated that Webb had previously served time in prison for offenses against 13 other victims before his release in 1975, demonstrating a long history of predatory behavior.
After his release, Webb moved to Chesham, where he became a founding member of an activity group affiliated with the local Methodist church. It was during this period that he allegedly initiated a new wave of abuse, exploiting his position within the community and his association with the church. The court heard that the Chesham Methodist Church was aware of allegations against Webb but failed to notify law enforcement authorities, a negligence that allowed his crimes to continue unchecked.
Judge Cripps expressed outrage at the church's inaction, stating, “The church knew of the allegations and didn’t inform the authorities. No one did anything and on you went with your repulsive actions. This resulted with the children abused by yourself being affected in different ways.” The impact on Webb’s victims was profound, with some suffering long-term psychological trauma, and others resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as overeating, which led to obesity.
Following Webb’s last known offense in 1998, a contractual agreement was established with the church to prevent him from having direct contact with children. At that time, Webb was employed as an assistant manager at Chesham Dairy. Despite this, Webb continued to pose a threat, and it was only after a final victim, a teenager, reported him to police in 1998 that authorities began to investigate further. However, initial efforts were hampered by insufficient evidence, and the case was dropped.
The situation changed dramatically when Webb voluntarily approached a police station on November 15 of the previous year, providing officers with a list of ten boys he had sexually assaulted, including the name of one specific victim. Prosecutor Merril Hughes explained that this list enabled police to identify additional victims and gather further statements, leading to Webb’s subsequent arrest and charges.
Webb, who is married, admitted to abusing the ten boys after initially confessing to police in September of the previous year that he had also abused another boy, a 13-year-old who had attempted to take his own life twice. The court also heard that Webb had engaged in a prolonged abuse of a nine-year-old boy over five years, having befriended the child's family and exploiting their trust.
Judge Cripps condemned Webb’s actions, stating, “He became literally your sex toy until he reached the age of 14, said enough is enough, and you stopped.” The judge emphasized the lifelong damage inflicted on the victims, many of whom now harbor resentment towards Chesham due to the traumatic memories. One victim reportedly turned to comfort eating, resulting in obesity, as a way to cope with the pain caused by Webb’s abuse.
Defense lawyer Amjad Malik argued that Webb was not proud of his actions and expressed remorse, stating, “He doesn’t validate his addiction in any way. He expresses complete regret for the way he is made.” Despite this, the court made it clear that Webb’s continued predatory behavior had caused irreparable harm, and his imprisonment was necessary to protect others and serve justice for the victims.
Webb, formerly residing on Bellingdon Road in Chesham, was found guilty of 19 separate counts related to the sexual abuse of 11 boys, with the earliest offenses dating back to 1978 and the latest in 1998. The youngest victim was only nine years old at the time of the abuse. Court reports indicated that Webb had previously served time in prison for offenses against 13 other victims before his release in 1975, demonstrating a long history of predatory behavior.
After his release, Webb moved to Chesham, where he became a founding member of an activity group affiliated with the local Methodist church. It was during this period that he allegedly initiated a new wave of abuse, exploiting his position within the community and his association with the church. The court heard that the Chesham Methodist Church was aware of allegations against Webb but failed to notify law enforcement authorities, a negligence that allowed his crimes to continue unchecked.
Judge Cripps expressed outrage at the church's inaction, stating, “The church knew of the allegations and didn’t inform the authorities. No one did anything and on you went with your repulsive actions. This resulted with the children abused by yourself being affected in different ways.” The impact on Webb’s victims was profound, with some suffering long-term psychological trauma, and others resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as overeating, which led to obesity.
Following Webb’s last known offense in 1998, a contractual agreement was established with the church to prevent him from having direct contact with children. At that time, Webb was employed as an assistant manager at Chesham Dairy. Despite this, Webb continued to pose a threat, and it was only after a final victim, a teenager, reported him to police in 1998 that authorities began to investigate further. However, initial efforts were hampered by insufficient evidence, and the case was dropped.
The situation changed dramatically when Webb voluntarily approached a police station on November 15 of the previous year, providing officers with a list of ten boys he had sexually assaulted, including the name of one specific victim. Prosecutor Merril Hughes explained that this list enabled police to identify additional victims and gather further statements, leading to Webb’s subsequent arrest and charges.
Webb, who is married, admitted to abusing the ten boys after initially confessing to police in September of the previous year that he had also abused another boy, a 13-year-old who had attempted to take his own life twice. The court also heard that Webb had engaged in a prolonged abuse of a nine-year-old boy over five years, having befriended the child's family and exploiting their trust.
Judge Cripps condemned Webb’s actions, stating, “He became literally your sex toy until he reached the age of 14, said enough is enough, and you stopped.” The judge emphasized the lifelong damage inflicted on the victims, many of whom now harbor resentment towards Chesham due to the traumatic memories. One victim reportedly turned to comfort eating, resulting in obesity, as a way to cope with the pain caused by Webb’s abuse.
Defense lawyer Amjad Malik argued that Webb was not proud of his actions and expressed remorse, stating, “He doesn’t validate his addiction in any way. He expresses complete regret for the way he is made.” Despite this, the court made it clear that Webb’s continued predatory behavior had caused irreparable harm, and his imprisonment was necessary to protect others and serve justice for the victims.