RAYMOND THOMAS FROM ELLESMERE PORT JAILED FOR SEX OFFENCE INVOLVING UNDERAGE BOY IN CHESTER

In a serious case that has shocked the community of Ellesmere Port, Raymond Thomas, a man with a troubling history of sexual offences involving underage boys, has been sentenced to a total of 26 months in prison at Chester Crown Court. The sentencing follows his conviction for engaging in inappropriate conduct with a schoolboy and breaching a strict sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) that had been imposed on him years earlier.

Thomas, aged 52 and residing at Langley Court in Ellesmere Port, was found guilty of two separate offences. The first involved him rubbing baby oil into the back of a young schoolboy, an act that took place during a period when Thomas had established an unsupervised relationship with the victim. The court heard that the victim, who was experiencing difficulties at school, had spent nights at Thomas’ flat, with the boy sleeping in the bedroom while Thomas slept in the sitting room. On one particular occasion, the victim awoke to find Thomas applying baby oil to his bare back, an incident that contributed to his arrest and subsequent conviction.

The second offence related to Thomas’s blatant violation of a sexual offences prevention order issued in 2005. This order explicitly prohibited any unsupervised contact with males under the age of 16. Despite this, Thomas had engaged in unsupervised interactions with the victim between November 2012 and November 2013, including paying for top-ups for the boy’s mobile phone, which further demonstrated his manipulative behavior.

Thomas was arrested on November 8, 2013, on suspicion of breaching the SOPO, and the victim’s complaint was made shortly thereafter. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Thomas had a history of similar offences, having been convicted in 2000 and again in 2005 for sexual offences involving underage boys. His 2005 conviction resulted in a 10-year prison sentence, of which he served six years.

Judge Roger Dutton addressed the court, emphasizing the disturbing nature of Thomas’s actions. He stated that Thomas had “cultivated a friendship with an emotionally scarred boy,” and that this relationship had persisted over several months. The judge pointed out that Thomas had deliberately engineered situations to be alone with the victim, despite knowing the restrictions imposed by the SOPO. Although only one sexual offence was committed during this period, the judge noted that Thomas’s repeated breaches and manipulative behavior demonstrated a clear disregard for the law and the safety of minors.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Dutton highlighted the danger Thomas posed to young boys, especially given his history and recent conduct. Thomas pleaded guilty to both charges, and the sentences are to run consecutively, with 10 months for the sexual activity and 16 months for breaching the SOPO. Additionally, Thomas was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120, and the SOPO remains in force to prevent further contact with minors. The case underscores the ongoing concerns about safeguarding children and the importance of strict enforcement of protective orders against known offenders in the Ellesmere Port area.