UK News 22-11-2001 Pop King Jailed For Preying On Young Boys who: Jonathan King what: Jailed for seven years for abusing young boys where: The Old Bailey, LONDON when: Yesterday snippet: "Jonathan King, one of the pop industry`s most flamboyant personalities, was beginning a seven year jail sentence on Wednesday night after being found guilty of sex offences against five boys," reports The Independent. The newspapers, not known for showing mercy to paedophiles, claim that his crimes extend far beyond the four counts of indecent assault, one of buggery and one of attempted buggery against five victims of which he was convicted at the Old Bailey in London two months ago (and which could not be exposed at the time due to reporting restrictions). In the 1980s, King prowled the streets of London in his Rolls Royce, picking up young boys on the pretext of interviewing them for market research purposes. Police fear that the 56-year-old pop mogul and former TV presenter "preyed on HUNDREDS more over 30 years," says The Sun. "We found hundreds of pictures of boys at his property and 27 made complaints after his arrest," an unnamed senior detective tells The Sun. "He often visited America too and there could be more victims there. A complaint was lodged in Los Angeles but police felt unable to prosecute." But The Mirror has outdone itself with its calculations, suggesting that the "pop pervert" may have "approached up to 20,000 youngsters". "I maintain my innocence of all the charges," says King in a letter to The Telegraph, "and I would point out that the general legal situation that has brought these cases to trial is patently unfair." [... more]

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