RAYMOND BENNETT PAEDOPHILE ABUSE IN DARLINGTON PARK SHOCKS COMMUNITY

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Darlington, a man identified as Raymond Bennett, aged 72, has been convicted of sexually abusing a young boy in North Lodge Park over five decades ago. Bennett, who was employed as a park keeper for Darlington Council and was dressed in his Salvation Army uniform at the time, was found guilty after a jury trial held in March at Teesside Crown Court.

According to court proceedings, the incident took place in the mid-1970s when Bennett, in his Salvation Army attire, took advantage of a vulnerable five-year-old boy who had become separated from his brothers while playing in the park. The young child, mistaking Bennett for a police officer or authority figure, approached him in good faith. Bennett then led the boy to a wooden hut within the park, where he sat him on his knee, showed him a pornographic magazine, and subjected him to sexual abuse.

The victim, now a man in his 50s, recounted to the court that he was terrified and overwhelmed with shame, which prevented him from confiding in his family immediately after the incident. It was only many years later, in 2019, during a shopping trip with his wife in Darlington, that he was struck by a wave of distress when a brass band playing in the town triggered painful memories of the abuse. He described feeling pale and suddenly needing to leave the store, later revealing to his wife what had happened all those years ago.

The court heard that the victim managed to escape from the wooden hut when another man entered and inquired about the commotion. He then saw the park’s bandstand and managed to make his way home. The trauma from the abuse had a profound and lasting impact on his life, affecting his relationships with his brothers, whom he blamed for leaving him alone in the park. The victim suffered from panic attacks, lived with persistent anger, fear, and self-loathing, and sought psychiatric help over the years. His troubled history included difficulties at school and ongoing struggles throughout his adult life.

Prosecutor Andrew Turton explained that Bennett, at the time of the abuse, was working as a park keeper for Darlington Council, which gave him access to the wooden hut where the assault occurred. Despite denying the allegations, Bennett was convicted unanimously by the jury after the trial.

Judge Andrew Dallas sentenced Bennett to three and a half years in prison. In his remarks, the judge highlighted Bennett’s position of authority and the calculated nature of his actions. He stated, “In the mid-1970s, you were an active member of The Salvation Army and held a part-time job with the parks department at Darlington Council. This role provided you access to a large hut in North Lodge Park. The young boy, who was lost and vulnerable, saw you in your Salvation Army uniform and likely perceived you as a figure of authority, possibly a police officer. You took advantage of his trust and took him from a public space to a private, isolated location, where you sexually abused him for a significant period.”

The judge further noted that the victim saw Bennett again three weeks later when he passed by his house in a Salvation Army van. The long-term effects of the abuse were evident, and the victim’s ability to identify Bennett in a police lineup many years later underscored the lasting trauma inflicted. The court also considered Bennett’s poor health, including his dementia, but emphasized that he had shown no remorse and had fought the case at every stage. The sentencing reflects the gravity of his actions and the enduring harm caused to the victim.