Aviation SW Owner Found Guilty of Child Pornography Charges

[ExeterFlyer]

Long since retired from instructing but disgusted to read what's been going on at Aviation South West at Exeter. One only hopes that nothing inappropriate has been going on with minors taking lessons.


Top flying instructor Richard Bristowe faces jail after child abuse images found following Exeter Airport office raid | Exeter Express and Echo (http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/flying-instructor-faces-jail-child-abuse-images/story-25818393-detail/story.html)

[Genghis the Engineer]

I don't know the chap, and yes his behaviour is disgusting.

But to be fair, this wasn't happening so far as can be seen at Aviation South West - he just happens to be involved with the business. His misbehaviour does at-least seem to have been in his own time.

G

[Evanelpus]

Hey Exeter, that was quite some first post you made there.:eek:

[belowradar]

Wow !

As an established Very senior Flying instructor and CAA Examiner
I wonder why no comments so far ?? Guys in the SW what say ye ?

[belowradar]

Wow !

As he was a very established senior Flying instructor and CAA Examiner
I wonder why no comments so far?

It's eerily quiet on the western front

[Whiskey Bravo]

Having met the man in question almost daily in late 2013, I found him to be a rather 'funny fish'. One can only hope that he receives a suitable sentence for this disgusting behaviour. Hopefully this won't hurt the other lovely people working at ASW and I pray they don't stumble across anymore of this dreadful material too!

[sapperkenno]

As he was a very established senior Flying instructor and CAA Examiner
I wonder why no comments so far?

Oh, you mean like all the very established people in the entertainment industry, government and royal family..?!

[N.HEALD]

Shocking behaviour and one only hopes that GA/CPL Instruction and PPL hire at EGTE will continue in some form or another was in ASW on Friday and Today to get my SEP reval signed and it was VERY quiet


As others mentioned there are a lot of excellent other people that work there so fingers crossed for them all going forward.

[belowradar]

Sapperkeno

That is the point , we all know about Royal family members and there is lots of debate and opinion

Seems like not much commentary on this one

How long have they known about charges?

Did he have a reputation as an odd fish?

Does anyone in. Devon have any info to add?

After all it is a rumour network !!

[Steak&Kidney_Pie]

Whiskey Bravo sums it up perfectly. I thought I knew the man.....after 16 years, I realise I didn't!

He was a well respected instructor/examiner locally. Such a shame.

I just wish everyone at ASW the very best going forward. There are some great people there! :ok: ExeterFlyer, please don't tarnish ASW, when one man, alone, is to blame. If anything untoward had gone on flying-wise, it would have appeared before now. However as his interest seems to be of the far-east type, I doubt he would of found much in Exeter.

belowradar, if you wish to ****-stir and generate unhelpful "rumours" on here, then bully for you. := The most people I find posting on here are interested in the truth. If you want to find out some more, try google :ugh:

[belowradar]

Obviously hit a raw nerve with you Steakandkidney

The fact that he was well respected locally probably explains the minimal commentary

Don't worry I have googled the facts !

[Steak&Kidney_Pie]

More likely sums you up old boy, rather than a raw nerve. I don't have much time for idiots, and I am fed up with dealing with rumour-mongers on here.

If you've googled, then you'll find out as much as you are going to find out.

[S-Works]

Whats the point of pursuing it an aviation forum? He might have been a pilot but thats little relevance to him being a scum sucking paedo?

He has got his just deserts and may he rot in solitary but that should not mean the other members of staff of the school should be tarred with the same sick brush? Or are you suggesting that as he was a pilot and we are pilots we are all paedo's as well? Personally I find the insinuation a little sickening.

[belowradar]

BOSEX

You are off on one of your random tangents again

Nothing insinuated at all merely surprised at the lack of comment generally :=

[S-Works]

Not a tangent. Just can't see the point of discussing it. It's aviation links are limited and to be honest its a dull and pointless topic. Clearly the lack of comment means that I am not alone.

Only seems to be you gnawing at it like a dog with a bone...... Even the OP lost interest!!

[Steak&Kidney_Pie]

Bose-X,

I couldn't agree more with all of your sentiments.

Well said :D:D:D:D

[150 Driver]

What he has been found guilty of is appalling and shocking.

I note from the press that the judge has deferred sentencing until he has looked at character references. For that reason isn't it dangerous to comment at all ?

For those that have a comment to make on the case or the individual isn't it best to wait until after the sentencing ? I would hate to see sentencing influenced by comments anyone might make on here - good or bad.

[BigGrecian]

I found him to be a rather 'funny fish'.

To be honest most of the senior examiners I have met seem to be a little bit "funny" ;)

[Pull what]

I don't have much time for idiots, and I am fed up with dealing with rumour-mongers on here.

Sounds like you are enjoying the 'free speech' on here then

[Pull what]

To be honest most of the senior examiners I have met seem to be a little bit "funny"


Who was it that said, "Those who cant fly teach and those who cant fly or teach become examiners or heads of training"?

[S-Works]

Who was it that said, "Those who cant fly teach and those who cant fly or teach become examiners or heads of training"?

:):):):):):):):):):):):):)

[Duchess_Driver]

I used to think that was true until I saw an airline captain with 000's of hours trying to get to grips with SEP GH and circuits! I also have seen examiners who can literally think the aircraft where they want it.

Back on thread.... Little reason to discuss this here. You get all sorts in every walk of life and the unfortunate thing is you can usually never tell. For his crime, he deserves the full penalty of law.

[Frontal]

Hopefully we will never see this degenerate ever again, and will be held for a few years in one of her majesty establishments.

His real punishment will be given in the corridors when the warders are not watching.

My heart goes out to the staff at ASW as they are a great bunch, but it is quite obvious that Exeter airport wants the whole of ASW out and PDQ.

[N.HEALD]

ASW was very quiet this week and I understand sentencing is Friday 13 Feb, not sure what will happen going forward, general vibe is that Exeter Airport don't want him around, ASW has some excellent instructors and hopefully something will continue in some form or another going forwards. It would be a great shame if PPL training/private hire ceased at EGTE

[Steak&Kidney_Pie]

I was told today that the staff have resigned. So i'm guessing the place will be closing down. I'm guessing Aeros will appear for a bid to continue training.....

[robin]

Sounds odd. Why resign and not wait for the closure?

Or is there a proposal that they don't like the sound of?

[Frontal]

I was told today that the staff have resigned. So i'm guessing the place will be closing down. I'm guessing Aeros will appear for a bid to continue training.....

Exeter airport is a prime location, and would benefit from a professional organization coming in and investing in some quality FBO facilities.

I am sure that with a proper management setup, along with suitable investment an FBO here could dominate all of the south west.

[robin]

Only if the airport management want them there.

For years Exeter have been anti-GA and I haven't seen much change. Perhaps when they stop calling themselves 'International' and cut landing fees for light GA things will start to change.

[Capot]

Did no-one hear or suspect anything,apart from the Police, since they found all the evidence in Dec 2012?

If so, I guess we have to give the Police credit for not leaking it in the usual way.

I don't imagine that there was much danger of him carrying on after the Police had caught him.

But why the 2-year delay? Or did I miss something? After all, "Miss Emily Pitts, defending, said Bristowe did not try to thwart the police investigation by withholding passwords".

[Tallbloke]

I heard there is already a plan to remove all of the buildings between the terminal and the car park, in order to get a more manageable traffic system in place. Some of these are where ASW are at the moment. The old flying club building is now the executive terminal, it is hard to see where they could set up again if the airport go ahead with this plan.

If they do close it will be a shame; I flew with some decent people there.

[Capot]

Plans to remove all those wwII buildings have been around and put off since the early 1980s; I wonder if it will happen this time?

[Frontal]

I heard there is already a plan to remove all of the buildings between the terminal and the car park, in order to get a more manageable traffic system in place. Some of these are where ASW are at the moment. The old flying club building is now the executive terminal, it is hard to see where they could set up again if the airport go ahead with this plan.


The current buildings are an absolute disgrace, and from what I can remember from visiting a couple of times, there are no toilets or running water.

Not quite the premium facilities that you would expect from a commercial flight school?

As mentioned earlier, there is a potential investment opportunity when ASW disappears, but wether ROI is achievable in a timely fashion, who knows?

Obviously any serious investor would want to work hand in hand with the airport management. as I am sure a serious operator would be beneficial for the airport.

[Frontal]

Did no-one hear or suspect anything,apart from the Police, since they found all the evidence in Dec 2012?

If so, I guess we have to give the Police credit for not leaking it in the usual way.

I don't imagine that there was much danger of him carrying on after the Police had caught him.

But why the 2-year delay? Or did I miss something? After all, "Miss Emily Pitts, defending, said Bristowe did not try to thwart the police investigation by withholding passwords".

The story broke last June in the local press following his first court appearance, but during all this time the now convicted pedophile was claiming that he was innocent and he would clear his name.

It was only on the day of the trial, presumably after some strong advice from his lawyer did he suddenly change his plea to guilty one.

So two years of lies and fabrication and this sex offender is roaming freely around in the community.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Whilst all this is going on, and assuming that nobody else is implicated in this misbehaviour inckuding the rest of the staff at ASW. Who do you get handled by now if you want to take a light aeroplane into Exeter?

G

[Tallbloke]

ASW were still doing it when I was in there last (end of December) but I see from a post somewhere that the corporate lot are doing it now, they are just across the street next to AFT

[Frontal]

The same day as the guilty verdict, flight briefing was removed from ASW and given to Exeter corporate aviation,and all references to ASW were removed from the airport website.

It was quite obvious that this had been planned some time in advance.

[Genghis the Engineer]

A bit vindictive against all the other people who work there one might say.

So far as I know, I've never met the known criminal, but I've certainly met a lot of very helpful people who worked as ASW when I was visiting Exeter.


I recall a similarish event in the USA where a well known school owner was sent to prison for tax fraud. The major customers (they were doing a lot of government training) made it clear that he had to go, and under pressure he sold up and did - but the business stayed running and the rest of them (with some significant adjustment) were able to keep their jobs.

G

[N.HEALD]

My understanding of things are that the Exeter Airport owners are very keen for GA training to have a strong presence at Exeter, as much as anything they need the movements that GA provides and I believe they will work with any new organisation that wants to set up a facility quite proactively.


As some have mentioned the current ASW portacabins are not a good building for this and I do believe they will be demolished/removed sometime this year with a revamp to the south-side of the airfield, the old Exeter Flying Club building is now occupied by Executive handling who are for the moment handling the fight briefing for the airfield and going by my experience booking out yesterday are a nice bunch.


Realistically I think any new training organisation would have to be situated on the North Side of the airfield and one would hope that it could be located in such a position as to facilitate public access easily.

[Steak&Kidney_Pie]

Well as my last post has vanished....conveniently.....I only hope that the RIGHT people continue instructing at Exeter, and that a happy solution to Exeter training appears quickly.

[Peter Gristwood]

Realistically I think any new training organisation would have to be situated on the North Side of the airfield and one would hope that it could be located in such a position as to facilitate public access easily.

The Exeter Flying Club discussed this back in the mid-1990s.

The south side is congested and the airport really want to do other things there. The problem is that although there is space on the north side, it is not user friendly. There is no way the public get onto the airfield through the northside gate without an expensive annual pass.

The Robin Group are in an almost perfect location but without much car parking and a long way from the entrance gate. The Master Plan still shows a north side terminal which would make access to the northside even more problematic

[Tallbloke]

Hopefully they can find somewhere south side; I know they have got some business from people who are using the terminal who just wander in on the off chance and may then buy a trial lesson voucher on the spot or later.

Either way I guess we will have to wait and see what happens, hopefully not too long for the staff and students halfway through courses, money in accounts etc. etc.

[Peter Gristwood]

Quite right

The southside gives access to passing trade. Can't see how trial lessons could work given the security on the northside.

Will watch with interest to see further developments

[Frontal]

Following sentencing on Friday the 13th here is the latest:

A leading flying instructor has been banned from teaching and his reputation is in ruins after he paid to download images of boys being abused in the Philippines.

Richard Bristowe was a member of the Civil Aviation Authority’s advisory panel and has run flying schools in Exeter and Plymouth for many years but has now lost his accreditation.

He has also been suspended from the Exeter Airport Consultative Group, where he continued to sit alongside councillors until he admitted his guilt last month.

He was the director of Aviation South West, which was the main flying school at Exeter Airport but the business will now be sold or scaled down.

The 70-year-old businessman was caught by police with thousands of images on the computers at his home in Exeter and office at the city’s airport.

He was spared jail but sent on a sex offenders’ course after a judge branded him as having an unhealthy interest in boys and the images on his computer were described as revolting and repulsive.

Bristowe, of Birchy Barton Hill, Exeter, who has business addresses at Exeter Airport, admitted 12 counts of possessing indecent images of children.

He was jailed for 18 months, suspended for two years by Judge Phillip Wassall at Exeter Crown Court and ordered to attend the internet sex offenders’ treatment course.

He told him:”It is plain you have an interest in sex with people much younger than yourself. You are 70 and have been in a relationship with a man of 26 since he was 18.

“Some of these offences represent the most revolting images I have ever had the misfortune to deal with including very young children of seven to nine involved in sexual activity with animals.

“You were found out because you paid a man to live-stream images of children over the internet. None of these were found but it gives the lie to your suggestion you were not predisposed towards looking at images of children.

“You previous assertion that you have no sexual interest in children is ridiculous and I dismiss it.You are now beginning to admit your behaviour.”

Miss Mary McCarthy, prosecuting, said Bristowe’s home was raided by police after they were informed by authorities in the Phillipines he two Western Union money transfers to a man Manila who runs a live streaming service on the internet.

Officers found 3,600 images or movies on his computers including 41 in the worst category, which shows sadism or bestiality, and 275 showing adults raping children, of which 49 were movies.

He was also found with a memory stick in his pocket which contained the encryption key to many of the files which he had downloaded from the Philippines.

Miss Emily Pitts, defending, said Bristowe had been sent encrypted files from the Philippines and did not know what was in them.

She said his long and distinguished professional career as a pilot and flying instructor had been ended by his arrest and conviction.

She said:”He accepts it is entirely his own doing, but he has lost all his CAA accreditation and his life as a flying instructor is over. His primary concern is for his employees and he is going to have to sell the business or help them find alternative employment.”



Read more: Exeter flying instructor Richard Bristowe's career ended by shame of 3,600 child abuse images | Exeter Express and Echo (http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Exeter-flying-instructor-s-career-ended-shame-3/story-26022945-detail/story.html#comments#ixzz3RiMY5ujJ)

[N.HEALD]

The general view from the many people that have spoken to me since Friday is that he got off very lightly.


Most were expecting a 2 year custodial to be given not a suspended sentence.


I don't think that ASW will be operating for much longer given the views of many local aviators, and unless someone buys what's left of ASW and injects a lot of capital GA at EGTE will not have much of a training presence.

[Frontal]

In my personal opinion the judge took into consideration that RSB is not a direct menace to society (most probably will not harm anybody) and in lieu of this did not need a custodial sentence.

Probably the addiction/illness that he has needs to be addressed by an intensive professional supervised treatment course.

Hopefully he will have enough sense not to show up around the airport anymore and live out the rest of his time well away from anybody who knew him.

The irreversible damage that he did to himself was of his own doing and he will have to live with this for the rest of his life, but his actions to those that are also involved in this (child victims and the staff at ASW) as a result of his actions are inexcusable.

[robin]

Frontal

As N Heald has said, he does seem to have got off lightly. And at his age is there really any point in going on an offenders course.

[N.HEALD]

Frontal, I understand what you are saying, however the action of procuring the material that he did and not being jailed for it only perpetuates the abuse of minors, the fact that he has escaped a custodial sentence means that it is much less of a deterrent to others that indulge in this sort of thing than a custodial sentence would have been.

[Frontal]

Utterly agree with you that perpetrators of crimes like this with so many victims (the children and their families) should be punished to the full extent of the law.

I would have liked to have seen a custodial sentence, but the judge probably showed some leniency, probably on the same reasoning that I based my comments on in the previous post.

I think in this particular case a custodial sentence would have had little impact on RSB, but would have sent out a strong message to other perpetrators.

[PSF2J]

Also, with the greatest of respect, a suspended sentence is just that.

He WILL be watched and monitored by authorities, and if he tries to get hold of this material again, in he goes. I think everything he has worked for has been crushed in front of him. If that is not enough to break RSB, then nothing will.

I'm sure the judge weighed up all aspects involved. He will have just as hard a life trying to find somewhere to live, and having to sign up to the local sex offenders list, which as we know, is easily obtained by the public.

Such a shame for such a once well respected man.

I just hope ASW could rebuild itself without him. As always my best wishes go out to the staff.

PSF2J

[merrett]

as far as i have been informed asw closes at the end of march 2015 or has anyone had any further update

[Tallbloke]

I saw a call from them yesterday, when I called back the answerphone said they are under new management, back to 7 day a week working. Hopefully the new lot can make a go of it, I wish them luck, I will certainly be giving them a go as soon as I get back to Devon. :D

[mykul10]

I believe the ATO approvals are back with the new owners and they are working on revamping the place. Hope it all it works out.

[EGTESkyGod]

As someone who worked at the school for 4 years, alongside RSB, I am dismayed to have learnt in the last 12 months what was going on. Working at that school remains the best job I ever had, I only wish I had finished my training.

I am glad to see in recent times that the school has been revamped and re-opened. God knows it needed a spruce up, but the character of the students, customers and staff we had there over the years was something I'll always cherish.

PSF2J summed everything up nicely there, and that is why we are good friends. It is disappointing how quickly people jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts and while we all knew RSB was different, we counted him as a friend and I don't think any of us thought this would be the result.

I hope to re-visit ASW in the future and would love to know who is running the place now!