June 2010 Convicted child rapist attended youth group A CONVICTED child rapist has been jailed after he went to a Bristol youth group, breaching a court order preventing him from contacting children. Stuart Steptoe, 31, was handed the Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) in September 2005, having been jailed for three years in 1997 for raping a boy under 16 and then continually failing to inform the police of his whereabouts. Bristol Crown Court heard that, in breach of the SOPO in February, youthful-looking Steptoe was accompanied by a 16-year-old girl friend when he attended a youth group at the basement studio, Colston Hall. Someone suspicious of his age later reported his visit to police. Steptoe, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to breaching the SOPO. He was jailed for 19 months. The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Neil Ford QC told him: “You undoubtedly present real concerns to the court in relation to your continuing contact with young persons and the efforts that you take to be in environments where young people congregate. You are now 31. Only custody is appropriate.” Lynne Matthews, prosecuting, said Steptoe was signed into the youth group, and his presence raised suspicions. At first Steptoe denied entering the premises and was to face a jury over the breach, but pleaded guilty on the day of trial. The judge outlined Steptoe’s previous criminal record and the extensive number of times he had failed to tell authorities of his whereabouts. The court heard that, in January 1996, he was convicted for indecent assault of a female and given a supervision order. In December 1997, for raping a boy aged under 16, Steptoe was sent to youth custody for three years. From August 2001, to August 2003, Steptoe failed to tell police where he was living on four occasions. After being handed the SOPO in 2005, he then breached that and was jailed for 16 months, but Steptoe again failed to notify his address in August 2007 and December 2008 – finally breaching the SOPO in November 2009. David Maunder, defending, stressed that his client had not committed a sexual offence for 13 years, although conceded Steptoe had breached his orders several times. He said his client was into long boarding (similar to skateboarding) and also liked going to raves, which brought him into contact with young people. Police Constable Mick Turkentine, the police officer in charge of the case, said: “This is a good outcome for us because the probation service will be involved in managing him.”