RAYMOND STEVENSON'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN CLECKHEATON AND BRADFORD INTERCHANGE

In December 2006, a disturbing case involving Raymond Stevenson, a 66-year-old man with a long history of sexual offences, culminated in his imprisonment. Stevenson, who resided at the Elm Bank probation hostel in Cleckheaton, was found guilty of engaging in highly inappropriate and illegal conduct at Bradford Interchange, a major transportation hub in West Yorkshire.

According to court records, Stevenson approached two young girls, aged 12 and 13, at Bradford Interchange in June of the previous year. His actions included showing them an indecent photograph of himself, an act that caused significant concern and alarm among witnesses and authorities alike. Although the photograph was not recovered during his initial arrest, police later discovered three additional small indecent images of Stevenson himself during a search of his room at the hostel.

Stevenson’s criminal history is extensive, spanning over four decades. His previous convictions include a five-year prison sentence handed down by Maidstone Crown Court in January 1976 for attempted rape. Further, Bradford Crown Court revealed that he had been living at the West Yorkshire hostel following his release from Bournemouth Crown Court in 2002, where he served time for two separate offences of outraging public decency. Over the years, Stevenson accumulated a total of 34 sex offences, with 22 incidents involving indecent exposure alone.

On the day of his trial, Stevenson pleaded guilty to two charges of causing a child to view a sexual image. The court was informed that he was in poor health and had limited mobility, factors that the judge acknowledged during sentencing. The incident at Bradford Interchange was reported after the two young girls, along with some friends, had been swimming at the Richard Dunn sports centre. Stevenson was said to have followed them from the sports centre to a bus stop and then onto a different bus, although his lawyer, David Orbaum, contested this part of the case.

Judge Stephen Gullick, serving as the Honorary Recorder of Bradford, emphasized the seriousness of Stevenson’s past and present conduct. He highlighted that Stevenson’s previous offences included a pattern of indecent exposure and other sex crimes, which had persisted over a span of more than 40 years. The judge ordered Stevenson to serve a minimum of 18 months in prison under the sentence of imprisonment for public protection. However, he made it clear that Stevenson’s release would depend on the Parole Board’s assessment of whether he still posed a danger to the public.

Furthermore, Stevenson will be required to register as a sex offender for life if released and is prohibited from working with children in any capacity. The judge criticized Stevenson’s lack of remorse and empathy, stating, “A probation report describes you as having no victim empathy at all. You have not the slightest understanding of the fear and trauma engendered in your young victims.” Despite Stevenson’s claims of innocence and denial of following the girls, Judge Gullick expressed confidence that he had targeted them intentionally. The court also noted that Stevenson was in complete denial about his offences, both past and present, and that he continued to pose a significant risk to young girls.

While his lawyer argued that his age and physical disabilities might reduce the threat he posed, Judge Gullick disagreed, asserting that Stevenson’s health issues did not diminish the danger he represented. The court’s decision underscores the ongoing concern about his potential to reoffend and the importance of public safety in this case involving a man with a notorious and lengthy criminal record.