Mother's fury as paedophile given suspended term

John Burns was previously convicted of child sex offences and was sentenced to a hospital order.

But after he was treated and freed in the summer of 2014 he failed to tell a young mother of his convictions and was baby-sitting.

Now he has been given a suspended jail term for breaching a sex offences prevention order in 2015 by not revealing his conviction.

Speaking to The Newsthe mum said: ‘I see it as he’s only got to behave for two years and he can do it again.

‘I don’t feel for what he’s done, listening in court, that they gave him an appropriate sentence.’

The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was horrified when she found out 25-year-old Burns’ history.

In 2012 he was convicted of molesting five girls, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

He was branded ‘vile’ by one of the children’s mothers after being convicted of sexual assaults on under 13s.

Burns, of Seaview Road, Gosport, was sent to a secure mental health hospital.

There was no suggestion in court that Burns abused the child he was baby-sitting for but the judge said the child was placed at ‘risk’.

Speaking of when she found out of his convictions the mother added: ‘I felt physically sick, it was shocking. It took me six days to call the police.

‘I didn’t know what to do. I thought I was going to lose my child.’

Daniel Reilly, defending, said Burns was not out looking for children and had moved away from the area.

Recorder Anne Arnold, sentencing, said the offences were ‘serious’ due to the ‘risk’ the child was placed under by Burns.

The court heard that Burns was approached to look after the child – but that the mother did not know of his convictions – and that he has made progress since.

‘It’s all of those factors that persuade me you’re somebody that can be dealt with by a suspended sentence rather than being an immediate one.’

The judge imposed nine-month’s jail for both counts, suspended for two years.

He must complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities.

The order banning him from contact with children will continue until further order, the judge added.

Burns admitted two counts of breaching the sex offences prevention order.