Paedophile former parish council chairman from Milton Keynes dies while serving prison sentence

An ex-parish councillor chairman who was jailed as paedophile died one year into his 12 year sentence, an inquest heard.

Peter Orme, 79, died from pneumonia and heart disease, aggravated by type-two diabetes. He had been refusing to take medication for heart problems, the coroner heard.

The sex offender had spent almost 15 years physically, emotionally and sexually abusing children between the 1970s and 1990s.

But later he became a pillar of society, representing thousands of voters on Beanhill, Coffee Hall, Eaglestone, Leadenhall, Netherfield, Peartree Bridge and Tinkers Bridge when he was elected to join the award-winning Woughton Community Council.

Nobody was aware of his dark past and ‘Cllr Orme’ even became chair of the council and a stalwart of the community.

His secrets only came to light after he retired from the council and was arrested and charged with two historic counts of gross indecency with a boy under 14 years and four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14.

He was also convicted of one count of indecent assault on girl under 16 years and one count of taking an indecent photograph of a child.

The court heard how he had a makeshift boxing ring and encouraged the children to fight until they were bloodied. He also forced a boy, aged under 13 at the time, to perform a sex act on him in the bathtub and sexually assaulted a teenage girl after buying her vodka and waiting until she passed out.

One victim wrote in a statement for the court: "I think what he did has destroyed me. My mind is a total wreck. It's always going through my mind.”

Sentencing Orme in February last year to 12 years behind bars, Judge Geoffrey Payne said he inflicted “wicked and systematic cruelty” on his young victims.

“你的过去已经追赶上你”,他告诉他。

During the trial, Orme’s defence lawyer Tania Panagiotopoulou said her client was ill and needed 24-hour hospital care.

"It is clear that he may die in prison,” she said.

She also citied his status as a former councillor, saying: You have heard of the work as a councillor he did for many years and I hope you can see a slightly different side to him in that regard. His sentencing must be just and proportionate."

After the trial, shockedWoughton Communtiy Council issued a statement. It said: "We were also disappointed that he attempted to use his position with this council to mitigate the impact of his crimes – these crimes took place many years before he was elected and, as a public servant, he should be held to a higher standard, not enabled to use this to excuse or minimise his appalling abuse.

"Woughton Community Council deplores the acts of this individual and is pleased that he has been held accountable for his behaviour.”

Orme was serving his time at Bullingdon prison, near Bicester. He was rushed to Oxford hospital in February and died there a few hours later, the Oxfordshire inquest heard.