JONATHAN RACE'S CRIMINAL REIGN IN CROOK: GROOMING, SEX OFFENCES, AND ILLEGAL TATTOOS

In December 2015, the community of Crook was shaken by the revelation of further criminal activities involving Jonathan Race, a man previously convicted for grooming an underage girl. Race, now 21, faces serious charges related to his persistent attempts to engage in sexual activities with underage girls, despite warnings and previous convictions. His case has garnered significant attention from local authorities and the public alike.

Earlier in the year, Race was convicted at Durham Crown Court for grooming a young girl, which led to a 16-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution. The court heard that Race, then 20 years old and residing on Sandringham Road in Crook, admitted to 12 charges, including five counts of meeting a girl following sexual grooming and three counts of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. Despite being issued a 'harbouring notice' in July of the previous year, which explicitly warned him to cease all contact with the girl, Race blatantly disregarded this directive. Instead of stopping, he continued to meet her regularly in wooded areas, defying the court’s instructions.

During the trial, it was revealed that Race claimed their physical relationship was limited to kissing and cuddling. However, their exchanged messages painted a different picture, containing sexually explicit language and plans for future life together, including staying in a hotel in Blackpool, moving into a house, getting married, and having children. The court was told that Race and the girl met almost daily in the weeks following the warning notice, with Race admitting to police that he had met her multiple times after being warned, claiming he was in love with her and that he had initiated the contact.

Defense lawyer David Lamb described the messages exchanged as “in the realms of fantasy,” dismissing them as “man in the moon stuff.” He emphasized that no sexual activity beyond kissing and cuddling had taken place, and that the relationship was largely innocent, despite the inappropriate age difference. Nevertheless, Judge Christopher Prince sentenced Race to a custodial term, stating, “You were inciting her to engage in sexual activity with the intention she would do so and where there was a meaningful possibility it would occur.” Additionally, Race was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.

Following further complaints, Race was charged with four new counts of attempting to arrange child sex offences. He initially denied these allegations during a hearing in October, with a trial scheduled for that week. However, he later changed his pleas to guilty on two of the four new charges. Prosecutor Paul Cleasby explained that, after reviewing the case and consulting with the victims’ parents, the Crown found these pleas acceptable. Race’s defense lawyer, Tony Hawks, requested an updated probation report before sentencing, and Judge Simon Hickey agreed, leaving all sentencing options open.

While Race’s previous custodial sentence has concluded, he remains in custody pending sentencing for the new offences, scheduled for January 18. His criminal history in Crook also includes a case from April 2015, when he was 19 years old. At that time, Race was sentenced for breaching a warning notice by repeatedly meeting a teenage girl in woods, despite having agreed not to contact her. He admitted to 12 charges, including grooming and inciting sexual activity, and was sentenced to 16 months in a young offenders’ institution.

In addition to his sexual offences, Race’s criminal activities extend to illegal tattooing. In May 2013, the then 18-year-old, studying music at the Sage in Gateshead, purchased a tattoo gun online and used it on children as young as 13. Between March 30 and April 1, he tattooed five minors, aged between 13 and 15, including a young girl on her shoulder with the word “fox.” The tattoos were carried out without any professional qualification, and the children’s parents only discovered the tattoos after the fact, raising concerns about the safety and legality of Race’s actions.

Prosecutor Deborah Jones highlighted that Race had disinfected the equipment and read the instruction manual, but he admitted he was not qualified to tattoo minors. He pleaded guilty to five charges of tattooing a person under 18 for reasons other than medical necessity. The court sentenced him to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay a £15 victim surcharge, emphasizing the importance of accountability for his reckless actions.

Throughout his criminal history, Race’s actions have caused significant distress within the Crook community, raising ongoing concerns about his conduct and the safety of minors in the area. His case continues to develop as he awaits further sentencing, with the community watching closely for the outcomes of his legal proceedings.