MARK STEVENSON SENT BACK TO PRISON IN HULL AND TRIMLEY ST MARY FOR SEX OFFENDER BREACHES

In February 2021, Mark Stevenson, a convicted child rapist and sex offender with ties to Hull and Trimley St Mary, was apprehended after being missing for over seven months. His whereabouts had remained unknown until he was spotted walking along the main road in Trimley St Mary on January 6, prompting police to intervene and identify him as a high-risk missing person.

Stevenson, aged 42 at the time, was immediately recognized as someone wanted by Humberside Police for failing to comply with his lifelong sex offender notification order. This order mandated that he inform authorities of any change in his circumstances, including address changes or being of no fixed address. His failure to do so since May 10 of the previous year led to his status as a wanted individual.

Following his identification, Stevenson was taken into custody and appeared before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court the next morning. During the hearing, he admitted to breaching the notification order by not informing authorities of his change of address or his status as being of no fixed address. Prosecutor Wayne Ablett provided background on Stevenson’s criminal history, revealing that he was convicted in 1996 at Sheffield Crown Court for two counts of rape and one of child abduction, resulting in a seven-year prison sentence. As a registered sex offender, Stevenson was subject to a lifetime court order requiring him to notify police of any changes in his circumstances.

Further details emerged about his recent activities. Stevenson had registered an address at a house in a multiple-occupancy residence in Hull in January 2021. However, a public protection officer visiting the property discovered he had left the residence around May 10, and attempts to contact him were unsuccessful. The landlady of the property was informed of his departure by another tenant, and a note left by the officer confirmed his absence. It was later established that Stevenson had been working as a forklift driver until March but had quit his job and left Hull after threats emerged once colleagues learned of his past.

Following his departure from Hull, Stevenson had been living in various tents and woodland locations, moving from Grimsby towards the Port of Felixstowe in search of work. His last known location was a tent in the woodland near Trimley St Mary, where he stayed for one night before being arrested. The police identified him during a routine patrol, and his description matched that of a high-risk missing person.

Judge Emma Peters commended the quick thinking of the officer who identified Stevenson. She emphasized the importance of the lifelong notification requirement, stating, “It is there for a reason and will never go away.” The judge warned Stevenson that any future offenses would result in more severe penalties, underscoring the seriousness of his breaches and the ongoing risk he posed to the community.

In light of his breaches and recent activities, Stevenson was sentenced to an additional year in prison. The court’s decision reflected the gravity of his failure to adhere to the conditions of his sex offender registration and the potential danger he continued to represent. His case highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in monitoring and managing high-risk offenders, especially those who go into hiding or attempt to evade detection after their release from custody.