Police search for former Alchemy Festival organiser convicted of child abuse

The former organiser of the Alchemy Festival, near Kirkby on Bain, is being hunted by police after failing to appear in court for sentencing after being convicted on two counts of indecent assault on a child.
Toby Gordon failed to appear in court for sentencing on December 23.Toby Gordon failed to appear in court for sentencing on December 23.
Toby Gordon failed to appear in court for sentencing on December 23.

Police in Leeds are appealing for information to trace Toby Roy Gordon, 38, who lives in Barnetby le Wold.

Gordon was convicted at Leeds Crown Court in November on two counts of indecent assault on a child, and he was bailed to return to the court on December 23 to be sentenced but failed to attend.

He is now circulated as wanted for failing to appear, and for breach of his sex offenders register conditions. He is described as white, 5 feet 11 inches tall, medium build, with short dark hair that can appear unkempt, dark-coloured eyes and eyebrows and olive skin.

The image shown above is from 2012, but is still a good likeness of him.

He has links to Grimsby and Leeds, but could be anywhere in the country.

The Alchemy Festival is now under new management, and the current organisers have sought to distance themselves from Toby Gordon.

In a statement on their website, they said: “Due to the influx of comments and contact we have been receiving regarding the prosecution of Toby Gordon, we have been working with the Child Safeguarding Unit of West Yorkshire Police to issue a public statement.

The statement continues: “Detective Constable Lee Thompson from the Child Safeguarding unit has stated the following: ‘The offence for which Toby Gordon has been convicted for took place a number of years ago in Leeds and is in no way connected to the Alchemy Festival, its organisers, crew or connected people.”

“We would like to reiterate that the Alchemy Festival is now under new management and the people involved in the new management company wish to distance themselves and the new event from this serious and unfortunate situation.

“We would like to thank those people that have supported us during this time and have shown complete understanding concerning this issue and hope people will continue to support the new management team to organise an event for September 2016’.”

Detective Inspector Marc Bowes, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “We have been making extensive enquiries to locate Gordon since he failed to appear at court. We are now appealing to the public to help us trace his whereabouts.

“Anyone who knows where he is should not approach him but contact police immediately.”

• Anyone with any information that could assist in tracing him is asked to contact Detective Constable Lee Thompson at Leeds Child Safeguarding Unit on 0113 385 9576 or via 101.