Boys' Brigade helper from Telford jailed for 23 years over 43 sexual offences

Darren Swift, 51, of Lawrence Road, Wellington, was sentenced after being convicted of 43 offences. Judge Jacqueline Davies also ordered a report into a lack of action by South Yorkshire Police, after the court was told that two of his victims had reported the crimes in 1997.

He insisted he was a "religious man of the church", and claimed the men came forward for "financial benefit".

But the four victims have all been left with severe emotional difficulties. One of the them ended up in prison after raping his half-sister, while others struggled with their sexuality and suicidal feelings.

The police officer who led the investigation into child abuser Darren Swift said he hopes the victims can now move on with their lives.

Detective Constable Ian Hampshire said Swift groomed the vulnerable young boys for his own sexual gratification.

DC Hampshire said: "I pay tribute to the victims who had the courage to come forward and disclose their ordeal to police. Because Swift continually denied his guilt, each victim was forced to relive their traumatic experience in front of a jury, which is further testament to their strength of character.

"I hope for the victims, this marks the conclusion of years of torment for them and their families and they can move forward with their lives knowing their abuser is behind bars."

Miss Sophie Drake, prosecuting, said the first victim had a number of problems during his teenage years after being abused by Swift at the age of eight.

"He sniffed glue and he abused alcohol," she said. "He felt suicidal and he truanted from school. He said he thought he was homosexual. He thought it was his fault for letting it happen and he became promiscuous to prove he wasn't homosexual."

Of the second victim, Miss Drake said: "He said he had bottled up what had happened to him and suffered in silence. He too thought he was homosexual because he didn't have a girlfriend until he was 21."

The third victim served a jail sentence after raping his half-sister.

The court heard the fourth victim had also suffered with drug and alcohol abuse and wanted to end his life when he was 20.

Judge Davies told Swift: "In each case the offences were committed when you were in a position of trust towards the individual complainants.

Some of the offences took place when Swift was volunteering with the Boys' Brigade in Rotherham.

Sheffield Crown Court was told South Yorkshire Police had told Swift in 1997 that if he admitted his crimes to them, they "wouldn't do anything about it".

Judge Davies said: "I ordered a report about the lack of police action, which I find deeply concerning.

"It causes me considerable concern and that concern of mine needs to be passed on to the police. We heard from two of the complainants about how they made statements. The defendant was interviewed and he said the police told him if he admits it they won't do anything about it. It was an inappropriate thing to have said to him and in the current climate it causes me more concern."

Church-goer Swift, who uses an electric wheelchair and appeared in court via a video link, began abusing young boys as a teenager.

His first victim was just eight years old. Swift bonded with him through a shared interest in collecting beer mats before luring him into his bedroom and sexually abusing him.

Judge Davies said: "He was told not to tell anyone and he complied with that but was deeply troubled when he grew up."

His second victim was 11 and a member of the Boys' Brigade in Rotherham.

"He went to your home and you indecently assaulted him," said Judge Davies. "He never returned but the impact on him was serious.

"He told no-one because of the threats you uttered to him."

Swift's other two victims were both aged about nine and were abused over a six or seven year period.

The Baptist-turned-Mormon met one of the children after befriending his father at church.

He began abusing the other boy after pretending to help his mother by taking him to activities such as ice hockey and taekwondo.

Swift was convicted of 31 counts of indecent assault and 12 counts of indecency with a child between 1980 and 1997 after a trial last year.

Mr David Pojur, for Swift, said: "He maintains that he is not guilty of these offences and that as a man of the church any sexual activity would have been prohibited. He was conscious of his obligations to the church and observed them. He maintains his position that these gentlemen came forward for financial benefit."

Swift will be on the sex offenders' register for life.