RAYMOND YATES FROM CHORLEY JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF SCHOOLBOY IN PRESTON

In a case that has shocked the local community, Raymond Yates, aged 58, has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of historic sexual offences involving a teenage boy. The incidents took place when the victim was between the ages of 11 and 13, and Yates’s actions have left a lasting impact on the young man’s life.

Yates, who resides on Chorley Old Road in Chorley, was accused of grooming the boy over a period of time before committing sexual assaults. The court heard that Yates had initially established a relationship with the boy’s mother, which he then exploited to gain access to her son. Prosecutor Jeremy Grout-Smith detailed how Yates would deliberately engineer situations that allowed him to be alone with the young boy, thereby facilitating the abuse.

The court was informed that Yates’s actions represented a severe breach of trust, especially considering his relationship with the boy’s mother. The grooming process involved manipulative tactics aimed at gaining the boy’s confidence and lowering his defenses, which ultimately led to the sexual assaults. The offences are considered particularly heinous due to the betrayal of trust involved.

The impact of the abuse has been profound on the victim, who is now an adult. He has struggled with depression and has experienced ongoing issues with low self-esteem. These emotional and psychological scars have adversely affected his educational pursuits and his ability to maintain stable employment, highlighting the long-term damage caused by Yates’s actions.

Yates was sentenced at Preston Crown Court, where he received a four-month immediate prison term. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, a measure designed to monitor and restrict his activities post-release. The court also imposed an indefinite sex offenders’ prevention order (SOPO), which will limit his ability to work with children or vulnerable adults in the future.

Furthermore, Yates will be subject to vetting and barring procedures to prevent any possibility of him working in environments where he could pose a risk to minors or vulnerable individuals. The sentence and orders reflect the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing concern for community safety in Chorley and beyond.