Pub pervert jailed for nine years for string of sex attacks on young boys

Dominic O’nions, 50, who already had a record of abusing children dating back to when he was a juvenile, sexually assaulted a young boy who he locked in a gents’ cubicle with him.

Teesside Crown Court heard O’nions had gone to the pub specifically with the intention of abusing a child.

The pervert tried to follow another young boy into the male toilets, which he had been hanging around, but the youngster got distracted and ran away.

A few minutes later he ushered the second boy into the toilets and sexually assaulted him in a cubicle.

The court heard the boy’s father disturbed O’nions during the attack, and he made a run for it.

The dad heard shuffling coming from the cubicle and assumed it was a parent helping their child, but he recognised his son by the socks he was wearing.

“His worst fears were confirmed,” said prosecutor Shaun Dodds.

Judge Mark Gargan said: “You freely accept that during that period you formed a clear intent to abuse a young boy and that you went to the public house because it was likely to be young children there.”

CCTV footage showed O’nions, of Marigold Crescent, Bournmoor, hanging around the gents’ toilets and going in from time to time.

Judge Gargan added: “It’s impossible to tell what effects what you have done may have on [the boy] as he grows up.

“The aggravating features are it was a deliberate plan to abduct and abuse a young child.

“Secondly, you were persistent and waited for your opportunity, despite being foiled when [the first boy] ran off before he entered the toilet. You continued to loiter there.”

In mitigation, the court heard O’nions wished to apologise to his victims and accepted his offending had got worse and that he needs help.

Following his arrest, electrical devices owned by O’nions were examined and showed he had made indecent videos and pictures of another five-year-old boy he had abused.

The court heard the mums of all the children he targeted had been left deeply distressed.

O’nions pleaded guilty to abducting a child with sexual intention, attempting to abduct a child, inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, engaging in a sexual act in front of a child, taking indecent photographs of a child, making indecent photographs of a child, four sexual assaults and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

He was jailed for nine years and will be on licence for another three years on his release.

Passing the extended sentence, Judge Gargan added: “The nature of your record, together with the persistence and planning, demonstrates clearly in my judgement that you present a very high risk of committing further similar offences and hence causing serious harm to young boys.”

O’nions was also made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, barring unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.

Detective Sergeant Lee Blakelock, of Durham Constabulary Safeguarding Unit, said: “Dominic O’nions committed despicable crimes against vulnerable young victims.

“I would pay tribute to the victims and their families for the strength they have shown and the trust they have given the police during the investigation.

“It is hoped that in time and with the appropriate support the victims can recover from what has been a terrible ordeal for them, and move on with their lives.

“Today’s sentence reflects the serious nature of Dominic O’nions’ crimes.

“He is clearly a threat to young people and it is a relief that he will now be spending a significant period of time in a jail where he poses no further risk to children.

“Beyond that he will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.”