Foster Carer Sentenced for Decades of Abuse
Bradley Dilsworth, a 69-year-old former foster carer from Walthamstow, has been sentenced to 31 years in prison for a series of child sex offences spanning from 2002 to 2010. The Metropolitan Police described him as a manipulative predator who concealed his true nature behind a trusted facade.
Convictions and Victims
Dilsworth was convicted of 22 child sex offences, including the rape of a girl aged between five and eight after her parents left her in his care. Prosecutor Emma Fielding told Snaresbrook Crown Court that he systematically groomed, abused, and raped children, allowing them to smoke cannabis and drink alcohol at his home.
Two of his victims were unconscious when attacked, and one believed she was in a relationship with Dilsworth, during which he frequently raped her. He also drugged and raped a 10-year-old from a deprived background, continuing to rape her regularly until she was 14 or 15. Judge Edward Franklin described this as a campaign of rape.
Court Proceedings
During the sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, Judge Franklin noted the absence of remorse, stating, 'There is no evidence of remorse, you contested all these charges.' He added that Dilsworth derived satisfaction from sexually and emotionally dominating his victims. The judge highlighted the devastating effect on the victims' lives over many years.
Dilsworth sat in a wheelchair, staring blankly as victim impact statements were read. The court heard that another girl witnessed the abuse before being pressured into sex at age 14, believing she was in a relationship with Dilsworth until she was 17. On one occasion, he used this victim to force a girl aged five to eight to perform a sex act.
Investigation and Arrest
The Met Police began investigating after a victim came forward in November 2024. Dilsworth was arrested in April 2025 at his CCTV-monitored home. His house was described as an Aladdin's cave of electrical devices, with 100 digital exhibits seized, including hard drives and USB devices. Internal CCTV footage revealed years of offending.
Detective Inspector James Rush stated, 'Dilsworth is a manipulative and predatory offender who exploited children for his own sexual gratification.' Police believe there could be more victims and urge anyone with information to come forward.
