LIONEL RAE FRUEN'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IN STEVENAGE AND LIVERPOOL

In June 2016, a significant legal development unfolded concerning Lionel Rae Fruen, a man with a disturbing history of sexual offenses involving young girls. Fruen, who has ties to Stevenage, was convicted of multiple heinous crimes that spanned over a decade, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior that shocked the local community and beyond.

Fruen was sentenced on January 29, 2016, after pleading guilty to 19 counts of sexual offenses at Liverpool Crown Court. His conviction followed a detailed investigation into his actions, which uncovered a series of disturbing incidents involving vulnerable children. The court sentenced him to a total of 15 years in prison, comprising a custodial term of 14 years and an additional one-year period during which he will be subject to license conditions. This substantial sentence underscores the severity of his crimes and the justice system's response to such offenses.

Specifically, Fruen received a sentence of 3 years and 4 months for the first count, which involved a young girl identified as A. The second count, involving a different victim, B, resulted in a sentence of 2 years and 8 months. These sentences are to run consecutively, bringing the total imprisonment to six years. Additionally, the court imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, reflecting the ongoing concern for public safety and the potential risk Fruen poses to children. The case has been referred to a full court review, indicating the seriousness with which the judiciary views his actions.

The first victim, A, was a child whose mother was a close friend of Fruen’s then-wife. The incident occurred sometime between October 1993 and October 1995, when A was approximately 8 or 9 years old. On an evening when A’s mother and Fruen’s wife went out, Fruen was left in charge of his own children and A. Despite his apparent discomfort, Fruen made A sit on his lap and, in the presence of his young sons, touched her vaginal area by slipping his hand inside her pyjama bottoms and knickers. The assault escalated as he penetrated her vagina with his finger, whispering, “You like this, don’t you.” A was visibly upset but felt too frightened to disclose what had happened, highlighting the betrayal of trust and the lasting trauma inflicted upon her.

The second victim, B, was a stepdaughter of Fruen, as he had begun a relationship with her mother after his separation from his first wife. B was between 10 and 12 years old when the incident occurred, sometime between May 2001 and May 2003. On one occasion, B approached Fruen’s bedroom to ask for permission to go out, as her mother was at work and Fruen was in bed. He asked her to get into bed with him, then proceeded to put his hand on her hip, undress her dressing gown, and rub her thigh. The situation escalated as he placed his thumb on her vagina and began rubbing her clitoral area for about two minutes, telling her, “Don’t tell mum about this little cuddle.”

The disturbing nature of these offenses came to light in 2015, after Fruen, under the influence of alcohol, drunkenly confessed to B’s mother that he had touched child A. He had previously admitted to her that he had also touched B, but she initially dismissed these claims, believing her daughter was lying or mentally unstable. It was only after further investigation that police became involved, and both girls, now young women, reported the abuse. The impact statements from B and her mother revealed the profound and lasting effects of Fruen’s actions. B described how the abuse had destroyed her childhood and teenage years, leaving scars that would likely remain for life. Her mother expressed deep guilt for not protecting her daughter and recounted the stress and potential loss of her home caused by the case.

Fruen, aged 59 at the time of sentencing, had no prior convictions relevant to these offenses. A pre-sentence report classified him as posing a medium risk of harm to female children. The judge, acknowledging that these crimes were committed under a different legal regime with a maximum penalty of 10 years per offense, emphasized that the fact Fruen had evaded justice for so long did not warrant a lesser sentence. The court’s decision reflects the gravity of his crimes and the ongoing concern for the safety of children in the community, particularly in Stevenage and Liverpool, where these offenses took place.