Former charity director Matthew Byrne jailed indefinitely for sadistic campaign of violence against prostitues

Apr 28 2010 by Chloe Griffiths, Birkenhead News

THE former director of a children’s charity has been jailed indefinitely for a sadistic “campaign of violence” against prostitutes.

Matthew Byrne, 38, was named as a “leading light” of Liverpool as the boss of the Young Person’s Advisory Service.

But the “Jekyll and Hyde” figure was locked up for the public’s protection yesterday after Liverpool Crown Court heard how he carried out a string of brutal sex attacks on vice workers after luring them back to his home.

Byrne would order the women to dress up as schoolgirls before beginning his sickening attacks.

Peter Davies, prosecuting, told how Byrne would tie up and gag his victims before strangling them, often until they believed they were going to die. He then repeatedly beat the women with a cane for his own sexual pleasure.

 He also used a sexual implement on one woman.

Byrne admitted four counts of sexual assault, one of assault by penetration, as well as nine charges of possessing nearly 9,000 indecent images of children and a further charge of outraging public decency.