Former boarding school housemaster and scout leader Richard Burrows has been found guilty of more than 100 charges, including dozens of historical child sexual abuse offences.
Burrows spent 27 years on the run, living in what he described as "paradise" in Thailand.
He was arrested at Heathrow Airport last March on the eve of his 80th birthday when he returned to the UK.
He told family he had come back to face his accusers and his maker. Police say the truth was that he simply had run out of money.
Burrows was arrested at Heathrow Airport last March on the eve of his 80th birthday when he returned to the UK
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Burrows had previously admitted dozens of offences dating from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s.
He was first arrested in April 1997 and charged with child sexual offences. When he failed to appear at Chester Crown Court that December, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Over the years, police made numerous televised appeals on BBC's Crimewatch programme to help track him down. These appeals prompted more accusers to come forward.
The jury at Chester Crown Court heard that Burrows systematically abused boys with whom he came into contact.
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Mark Connor KC said: "He obtained positions of trust and responsibility which he breached to satisfy himself sexually with the youngsters."
Burrows, originally from Sutton Coldfield, had worked as a housemaster at a school for troubled teenagers in Cheshire in the 1960s. He was later involved with the scouts and amateur radio clubs in the Midlands.
The court heard that Burrows systematically targeted boys he met through these roles.
James Harvey was 13 or 14 when he was befriended by Burrows through his involvement with the sea scouts.
The court heard that Burrows systematically targeted boys he met through these roles (Stock Image)
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Burrows admitted indecently assaulting James in a caravan after visiting an RAF show.
Harvey waived his right to anonymity as a victim of a sexual offence.
He told Sky News: "The reason I'm doing this is to at least put a face to the real children who from the age of 10, 12, 13, put their trust in this man."
"I want his name to be trashed in the world for everybody that ever knew him and thought that he was okay."
Burrows had left the UK using a fake passport under the name Peter Leslie Smith cloning the identity of an unwell aquaintance.
During a routine reappraisal of the case, police used facial recognition software to confirm 'Smith' was in fact Burrows, discovering he was living openly in Thailand.
When authorities became aware of his plans to return to the UK, they allowed Burrows to travel on his fake passport and arrested him on his touchdown at Heathrow.
During his trial, Burrows admitted being a paedophile but denied the more serious allegations, describing them as "degrading and disgusting".
When authorities became aware of his plans to return to the UK, they allowed Burrows to travel on his fake passport and arrested him on his touchdown at Heathrow
PAThe court heard that Burrows believed his actions had done no harm to the children.
As he planned his return to the UK last year, he told his brother that "not all paedophiles are the same".
Detective Inspector Eli Atkinson of Cheshire Police told Sky News: "I just think that's a disgusting comment to make.
"What we see when we talk to the victims is that it absolutely did do harm. That affects a person for the rest of their life."
DI Atkinson added it is possible there are other victims who have not come forward.
