STEVE BEDFORD'S SHOCKING RE-ENTRY INTO COMMUNITY NEAR CHILDREN IN BARNSEY AND WELLINGBOROUGH

In a disturbing development, Steven Bedford, a convicted sex offender with a history of abusing young girls, has once again come under scrutiny after moving into a residence in Barnsley, where a nine-year-old girl was living. This move occurred after Bedford’s release from prison, raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of monitoring and the safety of local children.

Steven Bedford, aged 42 and formerly residing in Walgrave, was sentenced to 14 months in Northampton Crown Court in January 2010. His conviction stemmed from admitting to five separate sex offences committed against minors. The details of his crimes reveal a pattern of predatory behavior, including the administration of alcohol and cannabis to his young victims before subjecting them to abuse.

One particularly alarming incident involved a 10-year-old girl who was sleeping in a caravan at Santa Pod race track when she awoke to find Bedford abusing her. Such incidents underscore the severity of his offenses and the danger he posed to children.

Following his conviction, Bedford was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and was subject to a stringent 10-year Sexual Offences’ Prevention Order (SOPO). This order explicitly prohibited him from making any references to his victims on social networking sites, contacting minors, or staying overnight with any girl under the age of 16. Despite these restrictions, Bedford’s compliance with the law was far from perfect.

Laura O’Malley, the prosecutor, explained that Bedford was released from prison in March 2011. However, he was returned to custody just a month later due to his failure to adhere to the strict notification requirements imposed on sex offenders. The court heard that upon his release, Bedford did not inform police of his whereabouts for over three weeks in February, breaching the conditions of his registration.

When authorities finally located him, they discovered that Bedford had been residing at an address in Wellingborough between February 19 and 26, where a nine-year-old girl was living. This breach of the SOPO and registration requirements led to his arrest and subsequent guilty plea to two counts of breaching the order and the register.

He was sentenced to an additional six months in prison. During the sentencing, Recorder William Harbage QC emphasized that Bedford, who is a former heroin addict, had deliberately violated the conditions set to protect the public and children. The judge stated, “When you were sent back to prison in April 2011, that should have made it clear to you that you must abide by these requirements, yet you have not. The SOPO explicitly states that you should not sleep even for one night in the same dwelling as any female under the age of 16.”

The court’s decision highlights the ongoing risks posed by Bedford’s non-compliance and the importance of strict enforcement of protective orders to safeguard vulnerable children in communities like Barnsley and Wellingborough.