Peter Rowell

Peter Rowell (born 17 June 1958) is an English former radio and television presenter.

Peter Rowell
Born17 June 1958 (1958-06-17) (age 62)
Sunderland, County Durham, England, UK
OccupationBroadcaster, radio DJ, newsreader
EmployerBBC Radio, GWR FM, HTV
Criminal charge(s)Indecent assault and making indecent images of children
Children1

Rowell spent much of his career working in the West of England. In March 2012, he was jailed for six years after admitting 12 charges of indecent sexual assault against underage girls and further charges of making and possessing indecent images of children.

Career

Born in Sunderland, County Durham, Rowell began his career as a presenter for BBC Radio Newcastle. During this time, he played the role of a fictional DJ in the 1988 drama series Geordie Racer as part of the long-running BBC Schools series Look and Read.[1]

Towards the end of the decade, Rowell moved to Bristol to become a presenter for GWR FM. Around this time, he also worked for HTV West (now ITV West Country) as a continuity announcer, before joining the station full-time in 1997 as a daytime bulletin newsreader. While at HTV, Rowell also worked as a features reporter and presented a number of non-news regional programmes.

After the death of Princess Diana in 1997, Rowell faced a disciplinary hearing after saying "she had huge knockers" after footage of the princess was shown and not realising the microphone was switched on.[2]

He left ITV West in May 2010 and joined BBC Radio Bristol to present its weekday afternoon and Sunday morning shows.[3][4][5] He left the BBC a year later after his contract expired.[6]

Personal life

Rowell is married with one child and, prior to his imprisonment, lived in Wickwar, Gloucestershire.[7][8] Rowell has also supported various charities including the National Animal Support League and KWADS (Knowle West Against Drugs).[9]

Indecent assaults conviction

On 29 March 2011, Rowell was reported missing after he failed to turn up for work at the BBC's Bristol studios and could not be contacted.[10][11] Rowell was found in Keswick in Cumbria 36 hours after he was last seen at a supermarket in Yate. He was arrested a day later.[7][11]

On 22 April 2011, Avon and Somerset Police charged Rowell with four counts of indecent assault, dating back to the late 1980s & early 1990s.[12] A month later, he was also charged with seven counts of possessing and making indecent images of children along with seven counts of indecent assault against four girls under the age of sixteen.[13] Rowell appeared before North Avon magistrates' court on 10 June 2011 to face further charges relating to a fifth victim, including rape against a 16-year-old and two counts of sexual assault.[14][15][16] and was released on bail with conditions attached until October 2011.[17]

The case was committed to trial in October 2011 after Rowell pleaded not guilty to a total of seventeen charges of rape, indecent assault and making & possessing indecent images.[18] At Bristol Crown Court on 13 January 2012, Rowell admitted 12 charges of indecent assault against five girls under the age of 16 and seven counts of making and possessing child pornography. The rape charge was downgraded to indecent assault, which the court accepted.[7][19] Avon and Somerset Police said many of the offences had occurred while Rowell was working as a presenter for GWR FM and took place at the station's former studios at St. Augustine's Reach on the Bristol waterfront. On 2 March 2012, Judge David Ticehurst sentenced Rowell to six years in prison and placed him on the sex offender register.[20]

References
  1. BBC radio presenter Peter Rowell faces four indecency charges – The Journal
  2. Watson-Smyth, Kate (1 October 1997). "TV newsreader in scandal over comments on Diana". The Independent. London.
  3. Davey, Tim. "TV face quits ITV West to anchor BBC Radio Bristol afternoon show". Evening Post. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  4. "BBC – BBC Bristol Programmes – The Sunday Show with Peter Rowell". BBC Online. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  5. "BBC – BBC Bristol Programmes – Peter Rowell, 21/03/2011". BBC Online. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  6. "BBC Online – Former BBC man Peter Rowell in court on sex charges". BBC Online. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  7. "Ex-TV presenter admits sex assaults on girls". Orange News. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  8. "Former BBC and ITV presenter admits string of sex assaults on teenage girls". Daily Telegraph. London. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  9. "NASSL (Bristol Branch) – Archive". Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  10. Stallard, Katie (30 March 2011). "'Vulnerable' BBC West Country Radio And TV Presenter Peter Rowell Missing After Bereavement". British Sky Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  11. "BBC News – BBC presenter Peter Rowell found 'safe and well' in Cumbria". BBC Online. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  12. "BBC News – BBC presenter charged with indecent assaults". BBC Online. 22 April 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  13. Womack, Alexandra (24 May 2011). "TV and radio presenter Peter Rowell in court on child sex offence charges". Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  14. "Former TV presenter back in court to face new child sex charges". Bristol Evening Post. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  15. Womack, Alexandra (9 June 2011). "BREAKING NEWS: Former BBC presenter Peter Rowell bailed on child rape charge". The Gazette. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  16. "Former BBC man Peter Rowell in court over rape inquiry". BBC News. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  17. "Peter Rowell's first appearance at Crown Court". This Is Bristol. 25 June 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  18. "BBC News – Former BBC presenter Peter Rowell faces child sex trial". BBC Online. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  19. Ex-BBC presenter Peter Rowell admits sex charges
  20. Ex-BBC presenter Peter Rowell jailed for abusing girls
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