Boys' Brigade sex offender fails to clear his name

Darren Walter Swift committed a series of assaults and indecent acts against victims as young as eight in the 1980s and 1990s.

Some of the crimes were carried out when he was a helper with the Boys’ Brigade in Rotherham.

The 51-year-old, of Lawrence Road, Wellington, Telford, was jailed for 23 years at Sheffield Crown Court in May, after being found guilty of 43 sex offences.

He challenged his convictions at London's Criminal Appeal Court on Tuesday, with his lawyers arguing they were “unsafe”.

But his complaints were thrown out  by three senior judges, who also dismissed a bid by Swift to have his sentence cut.

Mr Justice Goss, sitting with Lady Justice Macur and Judge Clement Goldstone, said he had no arguable grounds for challenging his convictions and his jail term was “not excessive” in light of his repeated abuse of four young victims.