Ex-cop Paedophile Found Dead in His Home Just Days after Answering Child Sex Allegations
Irish Mirror
A paedophile former police officer has been found dead just days after answering fresh child sex allegations. Serial abuser and ex-Greater Manchester Police sergeant Don Mackintosh was found hanged at his home by officers who smashed down his door. The twisted sex beast, who was once a church Boys' Brigade leader, was convicted of a string of offences against young boys in 1994 and sentenced to nine years in jail. Mackintosh, 71, was found hanged by the neck after appearing at Manchester Crown Court last week accused of indecent assault against two boys dating back to the mid 1970s and 80s. His body was discovered after neighbours reported they had not seen him for several days. He was due to appear again on December 5 for a plea and case management hearing and was scheduled to go on trial next May. The latest allegations were made earlier this year and he first appeared in court in September. He was accused of ten counts of indecent assault and one of indeceny with a child. The allegations date back to 1975. Both of the alleged victims were boys under 14. In 1994 Mackintosh pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting five boys dating back to 1964. When the offences started he was a young police officer. By the time he was first questioned in 1993 he was a well-regarded sergeant with 31 years in the force. On arrest he opted to retire and took a ?52,000 golden handshake plus ?11,000 a year pension. Mackintosh, who also worked as an education welfare officer for Manchester council in the 70s, was also a lieutenant in the 59th Batallion of the Boys' Brigade, based at Platt Lane Methodist Church, Fallowfield, where he abused his trust to pursue youngsters. He got away with his crimes for 25 years until one victim had the courage to come forward. This triggered a police investigation and other victims were traced. About a dozen men gave statements against Mackintosh and five were proceeded with. One of his victims from the first conviction, who waived his right to anonymity, has told how he is "glad" his abuser is now dead. Andrew Brown was just 12-years-old when the 'great bloke' who helped run his Boys' Brigade troop began abusing him. He said: "I am glad I will not meet him again. I still had a fear that one day I might do so. But I feel sorry for the new alleged victims who will not have their day in court." Mr Brown's two-year long abuse hell began when Mackintosh took him to the swimming baths where the paedophile would abuse the boy in the cubicles. An emotional Mr Brown said: "I never told my mum and dad or any of my family until I went to the police. "He would take me swimming, ten pin bowling, to Blackpool, and sent me a birthday card. He went for me because I was quiet." But Andrew, 62, now a successful businessman in Rhyl, north Wales, told the Manchester Evening News: "I have no shame about what happened to me. I am a survivor. I hope that by speaking about what happened to me it will give others the courage to report abusers." Mackintosh would have got away with his crimes if Andrew had not decided to go to the police 30 years after the attacks. His complaint led police to other victims and confronted by a wealth of evidence Mackintosh admitted his guilt. A relative of one his victims said: "Mackintosh admitted to being a prolific and predatory paedophile before the Crown Court. Up until then for decades by maintaining a falsehood of respectability as a police sergeant and boys brigade leader he subjected countless young boys to horrific sexual abuse, scarring them mentally for life. "But for the courage of my relative coming forward I have no doubt Mackintosh would have continued to be the habitual abuser of which he transpired to be." When charged in the 90s Mackintosh went missing, leaving a note. He drove to the Lake District, with booze and pills, but later drove home. The abuse by 'Big Mac' as he was known to colleagues at Stockport police station could have been exposed FIVE years earlier but for a cover-up. In 1988 a boy attempted suicide after he was assaulted by Mackintosh and later told his parents. They alerted a church official but it was decided not to report the matter to police because the boys parents' thought it would increase his trauma. Amazingly the church official's son had also been a victim and that also went unreported. The Methodist church said that with only 'hearsay evidence' it was decided the 'best course' of action in 1988 was to ask Mackintosh to resign as an officer in the Boys Brigade. He also left the church. Before going to court in 1994 to be sentenced Mackintosh, who then lived in Heaviley Stockport, at the time, confessed: "I have brought shame on myself, my family, my church, and the police. I cannot express enough remorse for what occurred and now I just have to take what is coming to me. "It is difficult for me to understand why I did wrong. If was a huge mistake and probably and illness of sorts. I hope others can forgive me."
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