Locations
Winston Court, Bridlington, YO15
Description
A child rapist released early from prison was found working on a children's amusement ride, a court has heard.
Stephen Wilson, 60, had served six years of a nine-year sentence for a string of sexual offences against children when he was released from prison on December 6, 2017.
Wilson was made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, which prohibited him from working with anyone under 16, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, without the explicit permission of police.
However, on March 29 this year a detective from Humberside Police spotted Wilson operating Wacky Races, a popular amusement ride on Bridlington's promenade.
'He was physically lifting them out'
Phillip Evans, prosecuting at Hull Crown Court, said: "The defendant was the operator of that amusement. In that capacity, he was helping children off the ride. He was physically lifting them out."
Wilson later claimed the ride was aimed at older children, but Mr Evans said the officer was quite clear about what he saw.
"DC Marsh said they were between three and five years of age," said the prosecutor.
Officers waited for a "discreet moment" before moving in to arrest Wilson so as not to cause undue alarm to parents.
Wilson, of Winston Court, Bridlington, pleaded guilty, at the first opportunity, to breaching the sexual offences prevention order.
He had sexually attacked children before
Mr Evans gave the court details of the most relevant of Wilson's 22 previous convictions for 67 offences.
On December 7, 2010, at Grimsby Crown Court, Wilson was convicted of one count of rape of a child under 16, two counts of gross indecency with a child, and one count of indecent assault on a child under 16.
Dale Brook, for Wilson, said his family had disowned him following those convictions, resulting in an "isolated existence".
Since his arrest, Wilson has remained in prison, which has he has found "exceptionally difficult", said Mr Brook.
"He has been bullied," said the barrister, before admitting a pre-sentence report was "an almost entirely gloomy document".
Mr Brook made clear, however, that Wilson's motivation for working on the ride was purely financial. Wilson needed to earn money to furnish his flat, he said.
'You are anything but trustworthy'
The barrister appealed to the Recorder Richard Woolfall to hold back from jailing his client, pointing out his poor mental health and a knee complaint that requires surgery.
However, Record Woolfall said Wilson must have known working on a children's ride would put him in breach of the order.
"It appears to me you did not tell your employer of your history," he told Wilson, referring to the earlier convictions.
"It is right that parents would think anyone operating such a ride would be trustworthy. You are anything but trustworthy.
"There is compelling evidence that your risk of sexual harm is unmanageable in the community."
Wilson was jailed for two years, of which he must serve around half before he is eligible for release on licence. The sexual harm prevention order continues indefinitely.