David Prosser

David Prosser, a 64-year-old former kickboxing coach from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, has been sentenced to an additional four years in prison for historical sexual offences against children. The sentencing took place on Thursday at Isleworth Crown Court in London, as announced by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Prosser, already serving a 24-and-a-half-year prison term for previous child sexual offences, was convicted of abusing five young boys under the age of 16 between 1989 and 1996. These victims were students at his kickboxing club during the 1980s and 1990s.

Prosser's criminal history dates back decades, with prior prosecutions in 1997, 2009, and 2019 for sexual offences against children. In September 2009, he was jailed for 21 years at the same court after admitting to nine sexual offences and being found guilty of a further 42. At that time, the court heard that Prosser had preyed on 20 boys and one girl aged nine to 13 over a 20-year period from 1980 to 2000. His modus operandi involved targeting vulnerable children at makeshift kickboxing clubs in pubs, community centres, and schools in his home town and London. He would praise their skills and offer one-to-one tuition at his home, where he isolated them 'away from prying eyes' before bribing them with alcohol, cash, cigarettes, drugs, and gifts, leading to sexual abuse.

The offences in the latest case involved serious sexual misconduct, including indecent assaults and other child sex offences committed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Melissa Garner, senior Crown prosecutor in the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) Unit at CPS London North, stated: 'This case demonstrates the CPS do not hesitate to prosecute perpetrators of sexual abuse where there is sufficient evidence regardless of how long ago the crimes were committed. It takes a lot of courage to come forward as an adult to report what happened to you as a child.' She praised the victims for their 'great deal of strength and bravery' in supporting the prosecution and expressed hope that the sentence provides justice.

During the 2009 sentencing, Judge Jonathan Lowen described Prosser as 'a predatory paedophile who abused the trust placed in you at every opportunity.' The judge highlighted the shocking impact on victims, noting 'lives spoilt, some even broken by illness by what you did for your own sexual gratification.' Police at the time indicated there were likely many more victims too traumatised to come forward. Prosser's latest conviction underscores the ongoing pursuit of justice for historical child sex offences, with the CPS reaffirming its commitment to such cases.