Jail for referee who molested boys over 20-year period

Milkman sentenced to eight years for ‘extremely serious offences’ on his young victims

A CHILDREN’S football referee has been jailed for abusing boys in his charge over a 20-year period.

Even in his day job as a milkman, predatory 62-year-old Peter Fisher lured children into his float before driving to secluded streets and molesting them, Reading Crown Court heard on Tuesday, September 18.

Charles Ward-Jackson, prosecuting, said the amateur Sunday League football referee, of Sun Gardens, Burghfield Common, would drive a number of his victims to and from football training and sexually assault them in his car.

Fisher also invited one victim to his home, ostensibly to play pool with his son, the court heard.

But when the boy arrived, he would find himself alone with Fisher, who showed him pornographic films and pressured him into sexual activity, the judge was told.

Mr Ward-Jackson said Fisher was also working as a milkman and would pick up his victims in his milk float before driving to car parks and side streets and sexually abusing them.

He admitted six counts of indecent assault on a boy aged under 14 years, four counts of indecent assault on a boy under 14 years and two further counts of inciting a boy to commit act of gross indecency.

All the offences were committed between 1984 and 2004.

Nicola Cafferkey, defending, said: “We agree with Mr Fisher’s culpability for abuse of trust and grooming.

“It is right to say that throughout this procedure he has taken responsibility for his actions and has demonstrated a genuine remorse... Mr Fisher has been overwhelmed by a sense of shame and remorse.”

She added: “The last offending was 14 years ago. For many years he was a hard-working man and spent a lot of time looking after his ill wife, Irene, who has since died.

“For the past months, Mr Fisher has been resting in Prospect Park Hospital... he has been suffering from severe depression and stress and there have been a number of suicide attempts.”

Judge Johanna Cutts QC said: “I am to sentence you for extremely serious offences.

“You indecently assaulted eight young boys. It is your best mitigation that you have admitted your guilt at the earliest opportunity.

“I very much commend [your victims’] courage and hope they can now get on with their lives.”

After jailing Fisher for eight years, she imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered that he be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.