Children's charity chief pleads guilty to sex attacks on prostitutes

Mar 22 2010 By Chloe Griffiths

Matthew Byrne 300

Byrne, of Tollemache Street, New Brighton, admitted one charge of assault by penetration and four charges of sexual assault between July 1, 2008, and 31 May, 2009.

He also pleaded guilty to four charges of making indecent photographs of children. The charity boss had previously admitted a total of six charges of making obscene images, totalling nearly 9,000 photographs.

At an earlier court appearance in January Byrne also entered a guilty plea to one charge of outraging public decency by committing a lewd and obscene act on a Merseyrail train while photographing young girls.

During that hearing Byrne had denied carrying out the more serious sexual offences. He was accused to have carried out sex attacks on seven different women.

But Peter Davies, prosecuting, told the court that after consulting with the police and the women involved, the crown were prepared to accept his guilty pleas.

Judge John Phipps agreed to adjourn sentencing for reports to be completed.

He told Byrne:

“It will address the question of dangerousness to the public from you.”

And he warned Byrne: “A custodial sentence of some length is inevitable in this case.”

He ordered Byrne to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register. He will be sentenced on April 21.