Gay Pedophile Babysitters Convicted

(Northern Ireland) Two homosexual men have been convicted in Reading Crown Court of molesting a young boy, starting when he was an infant and lasting until he was four and one-half years old.

A mannequin-dresser, 34-year-old James Rae (pictured) and 39-year-old Alan Howitt, a former soldier, persuaded a female friend to allow them to babysit her son. The men were found guilty of repeated sex crimes against the boy.

Judge Christopher Critchlow heard last week that Howitt and Rae, lovers for more than 10 years, repeatedly sexually abused the tot over a four-year period - simulating sex acts with him and forcing him to have oral sex while he slept.

They photographed some of the assaults and one act filmed on video was described by the judge as "about as bad an example as there could be" of an indecent attack on a child.

The pair, who have since ended their relationship, stood side-by-side in the dock to be sentenced for offences against the boy, now aged seven.

In June last year Howitt admitted possessing and making indecent images of children, and four counts of indecent assault.

Rae was convicted of the same four sexual assault charges on the boy between the age of six months and when he was four-and-a-half.

This week, Rae was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Howitt is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2nd.

Contrary to frequent pronouncements that male homosexuality and pedophilia are not related, James Rae and Alan Howitt are examples that they sometimes are.


[Update]

Added picture of James Rae attempting to hide his face.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.


[Update 12/28/07]

Howitt sentenced.