Barnsley paedophile's Kos trip completely unacceptable - MP

The justice secretary has agreed to look into the decision to let a "predatory" paedophile jet off on holiday before being sentenced.

MP Dan Jarvis wrote to Dominic Raab to voice "very serious concerns" after a judge gave Matthew Thompson permission to travel to Greece while on bail.

Thompson, 48, of Bentham Drive in Monk Bretton, Barnsley, admitted sexually abusing two girls and was jailed for more than 15 years last week.

Mr Raab said he would look at the case.

Thompson pleaded guilty last month to 10 charges, including sexual assault of a child under 13, making indecent images of a child and sexual activity with a child.

The long-distance lorry driver abused one of the girls for a number of years, beginning when she was aged seven, and assaulted the second victim after plying her with alcohol and drugs.

Following his guilty pleas at Bradford Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Gibson told Thompson he could still take a pre-booked week-long trip to Kos before he was sentenced on 18 November.

It is understood Thompson, who was described in a probation report as "a predatory male with a sexual interest in children", later decided to remain in the UK and did not travel to Greece.

But Mr Jarvis, the Labour MP for Barnsley Central, said it was "completely unacceptable" that a dangerous child sex offender who "caused his victims to suffer terribly" had been free to take a holiday abroad.

He called for Mr Raab to urgently look into the judge's decision, which he said raised serious concerns about child safety and had caused "revulsion" among the public.

The MP also raised the issue in Parliament on Tuesday and told Mr Raab that "measures must be taken to stop it happening again".

Mr Raab, who is also the deputy prime minister, said he could not comment on individual cases but would "look at that very carefully".

Mr Jarvis told the BBC: "I'm pleased to see that justice has been done and that Thompson has received a substantial sentence for his awful crimes.

"I still find it very difficult to understand how, before sentencing, Thompson was given permission by the judge to go on holiday abroad despite pleading guilty to the offences.

"I raised my very serious concerns with the justice secretary, who has agreed to look into this."

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