Outrage after convicted paedophile caught taking pics at school cricket game
|Published
The Flying Squad swooped on a prestigious high school in Rondebosch after a convicted paedophile was caught snapping pictures of teenage boys at a cricket match on Saturday The Flying Squad swooped on a prestigious high school in Rondebosch after a convicted paedophile was caught snapping pictures of teenage boys at a cricket match on Saturday
Cape Town - The Flying Squad swooped on a prestigious high school in Rondebosch after a convicted paedophile was caught snapping pictures of teenage boys at a cricket match on Saturday.
Two parents, both aged 42, caught the convicted criminal just hours after being notified that the 73-year-old, who was found guilty of 13 counts of indecent assault of boys, had been spotted near the school.
The parents questioned and photographed the man, identified as William John Creasey, and had him escorted off the school grounds by cops.
The parents, who asked not to be named, says they got a fright when they received a letter on Friday from the concerned principal.
The principal said the Child Protection Unit had come to warn them that Creasey was making moves on the kids again.
“This person, a white male 73 years of age, has in the past been an art teacher and appears recently to have approached at least two families with the offer of providing extra art lessons to their boys,” the letter states.
“It has also been alleged that he has been seen watching and taking photographs at Rondebosch sporting events.
“In addition to offering extra art lessons, he has been known to make paintings of the boys in photographs he has taken and to approach the family of the young person whose portrait he has painted with the supposed purpose of further sittings.
“The fact that he has been convicted, sentenced and served time for child molestation and is on the sex offenders’ register means that he may not approach or work with minors under any circumstances.”
On Saturday morning, the parents went to watch their Grade 9 son play a cricket match between Rondebosch and Paul Roos Gymnasium.
The mom says she spotted Creasey with a camera and alerted her husband.
The couple along with other angry parents went to question him.
“He just said he was a photographer but could not tell us who and for what he was taking the pictures. He claimed he came with a man named Pierre from Paul Roos,” says the mom.
“We didn’t leave it at that and made him take us to this Pierre who explained he had only met Creasey that morning.
“We took him to the security and the Flying Squad came to the school.
“They said he could not be arrested because he did not commit a crime but I heard him saying his name is John Creasey.”
Creasey was convicted in 2004 on 13 counts of indecent assault of boys at a school in Grassy Park.
He was found with the largest stash of child porn ever in the Western Cape and was sentenced to six years in Pollsmoor Prison.
He was released on parole in 2009.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond says they will seek legal advice.
“I can confirm that the person of interest was on one of the ‘public’ fields at a school sports event,” she says.
“SAPS were alerted and the person of interest was escorted off the field.
“The WCED will seek legal advice regarding the individual. The protection of our learners is paramount.”
@DailyVoiceSA
monique.duval@inl.co.za