March 2015
Paedophile slashed his neck with a razor in a dramatic confession to shocked wife
A rapist who sexually assaulted a young girl slashed his neck with a razor in a dramatic confession to his shocked wife.
Bloodied former RAF worker Anthony Bunn told her he wished he had cut an artery and that he wanted to die.
The 50-year-old, who was an upstanding member of the community who served with the air force during both Gulf Wars, has now been given an extended sentence of eight years prison, with four years licence to follow.
Bunn, of Ayrton Avenue, South Shore, had pleaded guilty to a total of eight sex offences – two of rape, two of sexual assault, one serious sexual assault and three of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Preston Crown Court heard how he made his dramatic confession last November after coming downstairs at home, with blood on his neck.
At first his wife thought it was fake or a joke.
Rachel Woods, prosecuting, said the defendant had earlier been out to watch football with friends and had been drinking. He fell asleep on the sofa at home and then went upstairs to go to bed.
A few minutes later he returned with blood across his neck. And it was then his wife realised he had cut himself.
Miss Woods said: “She immediately took him to clean himself up. In the bathroom he was repeatedly saying he wished he had cut an artery.”
His distressed wife asked why he had harmed himself and if he wanted to leave her, the court heard.
But Bunn then confessed: “It’s something I have done. I need to tell you something.”
He spoke of having touched a girl. He said he knew what he had been doing was wrong and wanted to die.
Bunn became more and more distressed while confessing to his wife and tried to grab hold of the blade again, but she took it off him.
The emergency services were called. A police officer escorted him to hospital after Bunn was banging his head on a wall. In the ambulance he admitted having done wrong.
Full and detailed admissions were made in police interview and he told officers he could not live with himself.
He had an impeccable previous character and is a former RAF technician, the court heard.
Fraser Livesey, defending, said Bunn’s life had been touched by tragedy at the age of 19 when he and his father were very seriously assaulted by a group of youths.
Bunn himself was seriously assaulted. His father had fatal injuries and the family had to decide to turn off his life support system.
But the barrister stressed: “He is not using any of the difficulties he has faced in life to explain his behaviour.”
Bunn had had an exemplary career in the RAF with an impeccable service record.
During his time in the forces he had come under fire in both Gulf Wars. He then went to work for seven or eight years at British Aerospace.
The revelation last November and what happened must have come utterly out of the blue, the barrister said.
Mr Livesey added: “He plainly has a strong moral compass, realised the repugnance of his actions and had no idea how to deal with them.
“The offending was very serious and will have had some effect upon the victim. The offending occurred very much out of the blue.”
Judge Pamela Badley told the defendant the way in which the offences came to light had been very dramatic.
It was a mystery why the offences had been committed. In every other way he had been a model citizen.
She told Bunn: “You started to fantasise and engaged with her in order for her to be made available for your fantasies.
“You are an intelligent man. You knew it was wrong. You were not able to stop. The only way was for you to harm yourself and make a dramatic disclosure.
“Although you have considerable remorse, you were not able to prevent your behaviour. That is something which concerns me.”
He will be on the Sex Offender’s Register for life, banned from working with children and subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
