Description
A paedophile who sent sexual messages to someone he believed to be a 12-year-old girl is on the run after his sons helped him escape the country.
Gualberto Santos, a 58-year-old previously living in Poplar, east London, was on trial for child sex offences in late 2023 after he was caught messaging a decoy account run by paedophile hunters.
Sensing the trial was not going his way, Santos left the country on a coach to France from Victoria Coach Station – assisted by his sons who bought the ticket and packed his bag for him.
The sex offender was found guilty in his absence but remains on the run, most likely in Portugal, with a four-year prison sentence hanging over his head if police catch up with him.
On Friday, August 8, his sons – Anthony Sousa, 32, of Sutton Street, Shadwell, and Jorge Sandoval, 29, of New Cross Road in south east London – walked free with suspended prison sentences for perverting the course of justice. Both had been held in custody between conviction and sentence.
'Out of love for their father'
In November 2022, Santos was arrested after he sent sexual messages to somebody he believed to be a 12-year-old girl and attempted to meet her.
He denied the offences and went on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in October 2023.
Realising that a guilty verdict was imminent, Santos decided to flee the country on October 31 and enlisted the help of his sons.
Sousa assisted by buying the ticket to France, then both brothers met their dad at Victoria to see him off – Sandoval bringing a rucksack for him.
Prosecutor Jonathan Wright said Santos has still not returned to the country to face justice.
“There has been no return of Santos Snr and I see no evidence of efforts by the family to request and persuade him to come back to the country, on that there is complete silence,” Mr Wright said.
Abigail Penny, defending Sousa, said the family have tried to convince Santos to return to the UK.
She said: “I’ve been told that Mr Sousa’s mother has implored her husband to return to the country, and the very fact that he’s chosen not to even though two of his sons are in custody shows the kind of man he is.
“These offences were clearly committed out of love for their father.”
Judge Ross Cohen said he accepted that the brothers had acted out of loyalty to their dad.
“I accept that you are both remorseful and were let down terribly by your father,” he said.
The pair were each sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
The brothers will each have to complete 80 hours of unpaid work.