One of Britain’s worst paedophiles Anthony Barron has died in prison

A "predatory paedophile", whose crimes were described as some of the worst in Britain, has died in prison. Anthony Barron was jailed in 2007 after filming himself abusing children as young as three.

Barron, formerly of Grove, in Oxfordshire, who was 54 at the time of his incarceration, was serving life in prison after pleading guilty to 87 charges of sexual abuse of children including attempted rape, sexual assault and making indecent photographs.

On Sunday (August 10), the Prison and Probation Ombudsman confirmed he died on July 18 at the age of 72 while serving at male sex offender prison HMP Ashfield, near Bristol. A cause of death has not yet been revealed as the ombudsman investigates, with a report to be published in due course.

At the time he was jailed Judge Julian Hall told Barron he was a "plausible, predatory paedophile" whose crimes he had found "quite chilling", adding: "This is as serious a series of offences as I think I've ever come across."

The court heard Barron had targeted 11 girls aged from three to 12 over a nine-year period beginning in 1997 and continuing for a nine year period. A grandfather himself, Barron befriended the parents of children he would go on to abuse, through roles at primary schools, youth clubs and cub groups. He persuaded them to allow their children to stay at his house and would then bride the children by giving them ice lollies, sweets and toys.

His crimes included attacks on two young sisters, who on one occasion he abused on the same day. Another child was abused while her mother, unaware of what was happening, was in the same house.

His crimes finally came to light after a five-year-old girl told her mother what had happened to her. Police raided his home and found toys suitable for children from the age of two, along with 52 computers containing a video library of attacks which Barron described as 'souvenirs'.

At the time, Detective Constable Bob Owen, from Thames Valley police, said: "In my 28 years service as a police officer, I have never dealt with a case of child abuse on this scale. Anthony Barron is a cunning, devious and extremely dangerous predator and a most evil man."

During sentencing, Judge Hall said: "The filming you indulged in, collecting souvenirs as you chillingly put it, I can't imagine anything worse than a parent knowing that their child has not only been abused but also knowing that film exists of that abuse."

One of the victim's mothers, whose child was just four years old at the time, said: "He came across as really nice, genuine, charming. I was absolutely furious with him, then felt guilty with myself because I felt I hadn't protected my own children."

Speaking outside court, senior prosecution lawyer Jenny Jonckheer said: "This is undoubtedly the worst case of child abuse that I have seen in my 30 years' experience of prosecuting criminal cases. My thoughts are with the victims of these crimes, the effects of which will last a lifetime."