Doug Richard, ‘Dragon’s Den’ Investor And David Cameron Advisor, Charged With Child Sex Abuse

Doug Richard has been formally charged on three counts of child sex abuse, as well as a separate charge for motivating a child to engage in sexual activity. Doug has previously advised British prime minister David Cameron on business-related matters. Richard is also well-known to the British public for appearing on the first two seasons of Dragon‘s Den, a television show where wealthy benefactors hear pitches from young entrepreneurs.

Doug’s first arrest related to the incident occurred earlier this year in January. City of London Police detectives took Richard into custody at the time “on suspicion of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual activity with a child, [and] meeting a child following sexual grooming and rape of a girl under the age of consent.” The Mirror reported that Doug was released on bail and intended to fight against the accusations.

“I absolutely deny the allegations made about me. It would be inappropriate to comment further given that the police are at a very early stage of their investigation.”

The British paper also detailed the breadth of Richard’s notoriety within the British community and closeness with the United Kingdom government. Richard gained confidence within Cameron’s government for his extensive work with business loan investment, eventually traveling with the prime minister to South Africa and Nigeria to promote development in the region. In 2006, Doug was the recipient of the highest business honor in Britain, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise. Conservative skills and enterprise minister Matthew Hancock mentioned affiliation with him as recently as October, 2013.

“We asked Doug Richard to review the Apprenticeship system and tell us what was needed to make the British system a world leader.”

A lengthy investigation has finally given police enough reasonable proof to move forward and charge Doug, reported the Telegraph. On Monday, Caroline Hughes of Crown Prosecution Service provided a few scant details of some of the investigators’ findings.

“Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Douglas Richard to be charged with three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The alleged offenses occurred on 2 January 2015 and relate to one victim aged 13 at the time.”

Unaided by his Dragon’s Den and David Cameron association, Doug Richard is set to appear in court on October 5.

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