Former boarding school housemaster and scout leader Richard Burrows, who spent 27 years on the run using a stolen identity, has been jailed for 46 years for numerous sexual offences against young boys.

The 81-year-old systematically abused 24 boys across the Cheshire, West Midlands and West Mercia areas between 1968 and 1995.

He was arrested at Heathrow Airport last year, upon returning to the UK on the eve of his 80th birthday.

Burrows told family he had come back to face his accusers and his maker. Police say the truth was that he simply had run out of money.

Prior to his trial, Burrows admitted to 43 offences - including indecent assault of boys, making indecent images of children, possession of indecent images of children and four counts of possession of false identity documents with intent.

The 81-year-old denied 54 others, which jurors at Chester Crown Court convicted him of last month.

Those offences include indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child.

In emails found after his arrest, Burrows described “living in paradise” from 1997 after he fled to Thailand.

That same year, he had been charged with a number of historical sex offences and was bailed but failed to attend a plea hearing at Chester Crown Court in December 1997.

Numerous police appeals and Crimewatch appeals on national television were launched to find the paedophile.