November 2014
Child sex beast caged for attacks on kids as young as FIVE in care home
A sex beast who exploited his position as a worker at a children’s home to attack vulnerable youngsters 40 years ago is finally behind bars.
John Cowan used his role as “father of the house” at a home in Ealing, west London, to abuse children as young as FIVE.
Cowan, known as Jock, was finally caught after one of his victims had the courage to come forward last year and report his sickening attacks on her.
The victim was aged just seven or eight at the time of the shocking assaults, that took place in the home’s attic in 1971 and 1972.
The offences took place at a children’s home in Ealing where Cowan worked as what was known as a house father for two years before he left in 1973.
Following her brave statement, police launched an investigation into the pervert and officers identified a further five women who were abused.
The youngest was aged just five at the time of the attacks, while the oldest was only 10.
Officers also discovered twisted Cowan had also attacked a boy who was just six.
The victim, now a man, described how on more than one occasion Cowan took him from his bed saying the boy needed the toilet.
Once inside the bathroom, Cowan sexually assaulted him.
Vile Cowan, 72, of Hither Green, Lewisham, was charged in July 2013 and today found guilty at harrow Crown Court of of 10 counts of historic indecent assault and one count of gross indecency.
He was jailed for eight years but police are now appealing for other victims to come forward.
Detective Constable Cathy Hewitson, from the Child Abuse Investigation Team at Northwood, said: “Cowan took advantage of his senior position at the home to abuse a number of vulnerable children, the majority of whom had already suffered heartache and trauma in their short lives and should have been in a trusted environment.
“I praise the courage of the victims in coming forward and reliving this very difficult period in their lives, forced to give evidence in open court by Cowan’s refusal to admit to his crimes.
“Cowan worked in a number of children’s homes in Essex, London and Scotland from the 1970s onwards.
“It is highly likely there are other victims out there who perhaps have felt too scared to come forward before or thought there was little point given the passage of time.
“Today’s conviction proves it is not too late to bring Cowan to justice and I would ask anyone with information to contact us in confidence.”
Sex beast Cowan previously lived and worked in and around Chelmsford in Essex in the early 1970s, Linlithgow near Edinburgh in the late 1970s and Renfrew near Glasgow and early 1980s.
During the trial, the jury heard that Cowan has 24 previous convictions for sexual offences against children.
He was jailed for 12-and-a-half years in 1994 on 16 counts and is on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.
