A MAN arrested over historic child sex abuse after almost three decades on the run faces 23 additional charges.

Richard Burrows was arrested on March 28 at Heathrow Airport having returned to the UK from Thailand.

The 80-year-old now faces a catalogue of 89 child sex abuse offences.

The charges relate to the historic sexual abuse of children which is alleged to have occurred between 1969 and 1995.

Some of the offences are reported to have occurred while he worked as a carer at a Cheshire children’s home.

Burrows is also accused of abusing young boys when he worked as a leader at local scout groups in the West Midlands and West Mercia area.

Ahead of his hearing at Chester Crown Court on Monday, August 5, the Crown Prosecution has now authorised additional charges relating to four victims.

The new charges are 21 counts of indecent assault and two counts of buggery.

This brings the total number of charges against Burrows to:

• 6 counts of buggery contrary

• 78 counts of indecent assault

• 2 counts of indecency with a child

• 3 counts of making indecent images of children

• 4 counts of possession of a false identity document with intent

These charges relate to 26 victims and offences which were committed between 1968 and 1995 in Cheshire, West Midlands and West Mercia areas.

The offences in Cheshire occurred between 1969 and 1971 while he was working as a carer, looking after vulnerable children at Danesford Children’s Home in Congleton.

His victims in the West Midlands and West Mercia areas, were all young boys who were abused between 1968 and 1995, the majority through local Scout groups where Burrows worked as a leader.

Burrows had been wanted by Cheshire Police since December 1997 when he failed to attend Chester Crown Court where he was due to stand trial for two counts of buggery and 11 counts of indecent assault.