John Slater

John Slater, an 85-year-old man from Terrington St Clement in West Norfolk, England, was a convicted serial sexual abuser who targeted young children over several decades. His criminal history included a previous conviction in 1974 for having sex with a 12-year-old girl. Slater's offences escalated in severity, leading to multiple convictions for child sex abuse.

In November 2011, Slater was convicted of nine sex offences involving four young girls and a boy. These abuses occurred before he relocated to Spain in 2004. He was initially sentenced to eight-and-a-half years' imprisonment for these crimes. The court heard that Slater had groomed his victims, some as young as three to four years old, by providing them with alcohol and exposing them to pornographic films prior to the sexual assaults. The victims ranged in age from approximately three to eight years old at the time of the abuse.

Further allegations surfaced in 2004 but were not pursued at that time due to Slater's residence abroad. He was eventually charged in 2013 following his return to the UK. In 2014, at Norwich Crown Court, Slater, then aged 73, faced additional charges related to the abuse of another young girl. He was sentenced to a further 14-and-a-half years' imprisonment, bringing his total sentence to over 22 years. Judge Stephen Holt, during sentencing, remarked on the devastating impact of Slater's actions, stating, 'It is quite clear your behaviour has devastated their lives and had a deep effect on them.' The judge noted that the length of the sentence meant Slater would likely remain in prison into his 80s, potentially for the rest of his life.

Slater served part of his sentence in Spain before being transferred back to the United Kingdom to complete it at HMP Norwich. On 26 November 2025, while still incarcerated, Slater died at the age of 85. His death is under investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, with an inquest expected to be opened at Norfolk Coroners’ Court to examine the circumstances. The case was reported by the Eastern Daily Press, highlighting Slater's status as a notorious paedophile in the Norfolk area.