Graham Stephenson 55

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Four men who came forward and reported non-recent sexual abuse against them when they were just children, have watched their perpetrator get sentenced to a total of eighteen years and four months behind bars, and ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Graham Stephenson, 55-years-old, of Nestor Grove in Hull appeared at Grimsby Crown Court on Monday, 27 July 2026 to be sentenced after he pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting a boy to engage in sexual activity, rape, sexual activity with a child and making indecent photographs of a child. In addition to his custodial sentence, he also received an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Officers received a report from a man in February 2023 disclosing non recent sexual abuse against him when he was a young child.

The case was immediately flagged with our Protecting Vulnerable People Unit; an investigation was launched and officers started obtaining video recorded interviews from the man who had come forward.

Initial enquiries established that Stephenson used money and other forms of manipulation to sexually abuse the vulnerable young boy, with the abuse continuing for around six years, starting when the victim was around 10 years old.

As the investigation progressed, further enquiries identified a second potential victim, who, when approached by officers, disclosed that he had been sexually abused by Stephenson from the age of six, with the offending continuing for approximately nine years.

Stephenson was subsequently arrested in July 2023, and during his interview in custody he denied all offences and any knowledge of what the victims had reported.

Following the arrest, and after both men had told their close ones that they had come forward to the police to explain what Stephenson had subjected them to, a third man, also known to them, then came forward with similar reports of sexual abuse he had been subjected to by Stephenson.

During the investigation, officers also identified a fourth man who had been subjected to sexual behaviour by Stephenson in 2004.

As part of the investigation, Stephenson’s home address was searched by officers, and around 45 devices were seized. Following examination, over 500 illegal images were located on his computer devices, including images of a sexual nature. The evidence further underlined Stephenson’s involvement in the non-recent abuse of the four boys.

Detective Constable Rebecca Davison from our Protecting Vulnerable People Unit said:

“Rape and sexual abuse against boys and men is extremely underreported, and I would like to start by acknowledging and commending the four men for coming forward and reporting what had happened to them as such young children.

“We wouldn’t be here today without the bravery and strength shown by the men throughout the entirety of what has been a very lengthy and complex investigation, but despite everything they had been through they were all still willing to give evidence which has ultimately led us to get some kind of justice for them.

“Stephenson denied all allegations when interviewed and initially pleaded not guilty, only later changing his plea to guilty. The investigation showed a clear pattern of manipulation over many years, where he deliberately used influence and control to facilitate the abuse of these boys.

“We take reports of rape, and other sexual offences, both recent and non-recent, extremely seriously and will continue to seek justice for those who have suffered at the hands of such sordid individuals like Stephenson.

“No matter your age or gender, or whether the offences took place yesterday or 30 years ago, we would encourage you to tell someone you trust and report it to the police.“