A former choirmaster sexually abused 14 boys at churches in the North West, leaving them terrified.
Richard Owen, also known as Franklyn Stanowski, met the children after they joined the choir at churches in Winsford, Knutsford and Altrincham. In private rooms and out of sight of adults, he told them to remove their trousers to be struck on the buttocks for his own sexual gratification.
The offences occurred between 1968 and 1998 when the boys were aged under 16. The 70-year-old, from Winsford, admitted to 27 offences involving indecent assault of underage boys and was sentenced to 12 years at Chester Crown Court on Friday, September 30.
