By James Simons-
A man has been jailed for 25 years for non-recent sex offences involving young boys whom he encountered through his work as a caretaker and Scout leader.
Victor Jacob, of Balmoral Crescent, Macclesfield, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, 24 September after being found guilty following a five week trial of 36 offences in total. These included multiple counts of: Indecent assault on boys under 16 years, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity with a child and indecency with a child.
Jacob was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The court heard that Jacob’s reign of abuse against five different boys spanned 28 years at different times between October 1979 and May 2007.
Jacob was the caretaker and groundsman at the school the five victims attended in Bromley, and he also came into contact with them through his work as a Scout leader.
Jacob exploited the circumstances in their lives and groomed them to gain their trust before sexually abusing them. The offences took place at multiple locations.
In 2017 three men came forward to police independently of each other and alleged that they had been abused as boys by Jacob.
An investigation was launched by detectives at the South East Public Protection Team, who identified a further two victims.
Jacob was interviewed under caution in February 2018 and charged by postal requisition in October 2019.
Detective Constable Mark Tarrant of the South East Public Protection Team said: “Jacob’s conviction and sentence is a prime example that no matter the passage of time, the Metropolitan Police Service will seek to investigate and punish those who abuse vulnerable people.
“The five boys he abused are now men and have carried the weight of what happened to them for an incredibly long time. I commend each of them for their bravery through what has been a distressing process. No more victims will suffer at Jacob’s hands, and I hope that allows all five men some comfort as they move on with their lives.”