By Neil Sears
Daily Mail
August 21 2010
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1304676/British-Baptist-Church-minister-Robert-Dando-arrested-child-sex-charges-U-S.html?ITO=1490
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| Arrested: A police handout of Robert Dando, a British Baptist Church minister who has been charged with child sex offences in the U.S. |
A leading Baptist minister has been charged with molesting young boys during trips to America.
Robert Dando, 46, was arrested this week during a visit to Fairfax County, Virginia.
He is said to have sexually abused two boys, starting when they were aged seven and eight, over a period of up to five years during visits to a family friend in the U.S..
Dando has resigned from Worcester Park Baptist Church near Kingston in South-West London.
But further enquiries may be conducted in Britain. Dando had personal contact with boys here, working with the Boys' Brigade. He has also worked for a children's charity in India.
He has been charged in the U.S. with four counts of aggravated sexual battery.
A spokesman for Fairfax County Police Department said yesterday: 'In December 2009, a 21-year-old victim of sexual abuse came forward to Fairfax Police.
'The victim, who was between eight and 13 at the time of the abuse, alleges he was assaulted by a visiting family friend in a private residence in Fairfax County.
'Police initiated an investigation and discovered a second victim, who is 17, who said he was abused under similar circumstances when he was seven or eight.'
Dando was executive assistant to the president of the Baptist World Alliance. He is due in court in a month.
His wife Janice, 50, is a vice president of the Boy's Brigade. Last night a spokesman for the youth movement said it was 'deeply concerned' and had removed Dando's membership.
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| Scandal: Dando has resigned from Worcester Park Baptist Church in Surrey, above |
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