Richard William Huckle (14 May1986 – 13 October 2019) was a convicted English serial sex offenderand child rapist. He was arrested by Britain's National Crime Agencyafter a tip-off from Australian Police and convicted of 71 counts ofserious sexual assaults against children while working as a freelancephotographer and posing as a Christian teacher in Malaysia.
He has been described in print media as"Britain's worst ever paedophile". On 6 June 2016,he was given 22 life sentences with a minimum prison term of 25 yearsbefore being eligible to apply for parole.
On 13 October 2019, Huckle wasstrangled and stabbed to death (over 22 times) in his cell. On 13January 2020, a fellow inmate, 29-year old Paul Fitzgerald, wascharged with Huckle's murder before being sentenced to life inprison, with a minimum term of 34 years, on 24 November 2020.
Early life
Huckle was born into a middle-classfamily in Ashford, Kent, on 14 May 1986. He was educated at theHarvey Grammar School, Folkestone, where he was described as "abit of a loner, but nothing out of the ordinary" by friends. At the age of 16, he took part in a month-long expedition to visit aschool in Namibia before leaving the Harvey Grammar School[citationneeded] to study at the nearby South Kent College.
Huckle was a regular worshipper atAshford Baptist Church, where he was described as a quiet man. Hewas also a member of a church in London, which he continued to attendup until the time of his re-arrest in December 2014. His pastor saidin an interview of a series in "Undercover Asia" that he rarely came to church unless to see children.
Time in Malaysia
After leaving education, Huckle spent agap year in Malaysia from 2005 to 2006. He returned regularly,helping out at local churches and among local communities, beforemoving there permanently in 2010.
Huckle enrolled onto a short CELTA(Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) course with theBritish Council before starting work as a freelance photographer inlocal communities around Kuala Lumpur. Hoping to further his careerand status within the community, he also enrolled in an informationtechnology (IT) study course at Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan UniversityCollege. He did not complete his studies.
In addition to Malaysia, where all ofthe crimes he was convicted of occurred, and Cambodia, which was alsomentioned in the trial, Huckle traveled extensively around south-eastAsia to countries including Singapore, Laos and India. It has beenrevealed that, while in India, he persuaded a pastor to invite him toan orphanage in Bangalore to take photos and make videos with thechildren, posing as a teacher to gain trust.
Sexual offenses
Initial arrest
On 19 December 2014, Huckle wasarrested by officers from Britain's National Crime Agency at London'sGatwick Airport and questioned on suspicion of serious offencesagainst children. His arrest followed an earlier tip-off from TaskForce Argos, a highly specialized branch of Australia's QueenslandPolice Service responsible for the investigation of online childexploitation and abuse. Huckle initially refused to answer officers'questions and was bailed under the condition that he stay at hisparents' house, while his camera, mobile phone, laptop and computerhard drives were seized.
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