STEPHEN MASSER FROM NEW ABERDOUR SENTENCED IN BRADFORD AND SCOTLAND FOR SICKENING CHILD ABUSE CASES
| Red Rose Database
New Aberdour Rapist
In a series of harrowing court proceedings spanning both Scotland and England, Stephen Masser, a 68-year-old sex offender from New Aberdour, has faced justice for a long history of heinous crimes against children. The latest sentencing occurred at Bradford Crown Court, where Masser was convicted of multiple counts of indecent assault and rape, crimes that date back to the 1960s and 1970s in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
During the hearing, prosecutor Sophie Drake outlined the disturbing details of the abuse inflicted upon two young girls. The victims, now adults, provided emotional victim impact statements that revealed the profound and lasting scars left by Masser’s actions. One woman described feeling like “damaged goods” and a “shell of a person,” emphasizing how her ability to form trusting relationships has been severely compromised. The other victim recounted how she lost her innocence early and now lives with a constant sense of insecurity, nervousness, and distrust, burdened by the weight of her past experiences.
Masser appeared via video link from HMP Durham, where he is currently serving an eight-year sentence for similar offences committed in Scotland during the 1980s and 1990s. His criminal history also includes a 12-month sentence in 1972 for grievous bodily harm and indecent assault of a young woman. The court was informed that his pattern of abuse spanned decades, with allegations dating back to the 1960s and 1970s in Bradford, involving acts of sexual violence and assault against young girls.
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, the Recorder of Bradford, emphasized the enduring trauma caused by Masser’s crimes. Treating the offence of rape as the most serious, the judge sentenced Masser to a total of 12 years in prison, with an additional three years on extended licence, to commence immediately. Concurrent sentences of three years and nine months were also handed down for the five counts of indecent assault. The judge acknowledged the significant and lasting impact on the victims, highlighting the importance of holding Masser accountable for his actions.
Prior to these recent convictions, Masser’s criminal record includes a conviction in 2017 for a series of sexual offences committed in the north east of Scotland, specifically in Fraserburgh and Aberdeen. At that time, he was found guilty of 12 charges, including rape, indecent assault, and physical violence. The offences spanned from 1982 to 1997, during which he subjected a girl aged between seven and eleven to sexual abuse, including rape, and inflicted physical violence, such as hitting her with a potato peeler. He also assaulted a teenage girl and a schoolboy, with the abuse occurring over a 15-year period in the Aberdeenshire area.
During his 2017 trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, Masser denied the most serious allegations, claiming he had a moral boundary he would not cross. He admitted to some lesser acts of abuse, expressing remorse and stating, “It was tremendously wrong.” He also claimed that he did not commit the rape, citing erectile dysfunction and medication as reasons, and suggested that his male victim might have been under the influence of drugs, which he described as “really weird.” Despite his denials, the court found him guilty of multiple charges, and he was sentenced to eight years in prison. The court also noted that he had been previously jailed in the 1970s for similar offences in England.
Following his latest convictions, Masser was ordered to register as a sex offender. The court deferred sentencing to allow for the preparation of a comprehensive background report, with a further hearing scheduled for next month. The case underscores the long and painful history of abuse perpetrated by Stephen Masser, whose crimes have left indelible marks on his victims’ lives and serve as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant justice in protecting vulnerable children.
During the hearing, prosecutor Sophie Drake outlined the disturbing details of the abuse inflicted upon two young girls. The victims, now adults, provided emotional victim impact statements that revealed the profound and lasting scars left by Masser’s actions. One woman described feeling like “damaged goods” and a “shell of a person,” emphasizing how her ability to form trusting relationships has been severely compromised. The other victim recounted how she lost her innocence early and now lives with a constant sense of insecurity, nervousness, and distrust, burdened by the weight of her past experiences.
Masser appeared via video link from HMP Durham, where he is currently serving an eight-year sentence for similar offences committed in Scotland during the 1980s and 1990s. His criminal history also includes a 12-month sentence in 1972 for grievous bodily harm and indecent assault of a young woman. The court was informed that his pattern of abuse spanned decades, with allegations dating back to the 1960s and 1970s in Bradford, involving acts of sexual violence and assault against young girls.
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, the Recorder of Bradford, emphasized the enduring trauma caused by Masser’s crimes. Treating the offence of rape as the most serious, the judge sentenced Masser to a total of 12 years in prison, with an additional three years on extended licence, to commence immediately. Concurrent sentences of three years and nine months were also handed down for the five counts of indecent assault. The judge acknowledged the significant and lasting impact on the victims, highlighting the importance of holding Masser accountable for his actions.
Prior to these recent convictions, Masser’s criminal record includes a conviction in 2017 for a series of sexual offences committed in the north east of Scotland, specifically in Fraserburgh and Aberdeen. At that time, he was found guilty of 12 charges, including rape, indecent assault, and physical violence. The offences spanned from 1982 to 1997, during which he subjected a girl aged between seven and eleven to sexual abuse, including rape, and inflicted physical violence, such as hitting her with a potato peeler. He also assaulted a teenage girl and a schoolboy, with the abuse occurring over a 15-year period in the Aberdeenshire area.
During his 2017 trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, Masser denied the most serious allegations, claiming he had a moral boundary he would not cross. He admitted to some lesser acts of abuse, expressing remorse and stating, “It was tremendously wrong.” He also claimed that he did not commit the rape, citing erectile dysfunction and medication as reasons, and suggested that his male victim might have been under the influence of drugs, which he described as “really weird.” Despite his denials, the court found him guilty of multiple charges, and he was sentenced to eight years in prison. The court also noted that he had been previously jailed in the 1970s for similar offences in England.
Following his latest convictions, Masser was ordered to register as a sex offender. The court deferred sentencing to allow for the preparation of a comprehensive background report, with a further hearing scheduled for next month. The case underscores the long and painful history of abuse perpetrated by Stephen Masser, whose crimes have left indelible marks on his victims’ lives and serve as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant justice in protecting vulnerable children.