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SHOCKING CRIME: STEPHEN CARRUTHERS AND JOHN BATES ABUSE BOYS IN BLACKPOOL AND YORK
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Blackpool and York, two convicted paedophiles, Stephen Carruthers and John Bates, have been sentenced to indefinite imprisonment for their heinous crimes involving young boys. The case, which unfolded in Preston Crown Court, revealed a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior that spanned decades and involved manipulation, exploitation, and abuse of vulnerable minors.Stephen Carruthers, aged 49 and formerly residing in York, and John Bates, aged 45, began their illicit relationship while both were incarcerated in Strangeways prison in Manchester. Their bond, formed behind bars, continued after their release, despite the serious nature of their previous convictions dating back to the early 1980s. The authorities, constrained by human rights legislation, found themselves unable to prevent the pair from living together in Blackpool, Lancashire, where they continued their criminal activities.
According to court proceedings, Carruthers and Bates used a combination of financial incentives and false claims of celebrity connections to lure four 14-year-old boys into their ground-floor flat located on Caunce Street in Blackpool. The pair’s manipulative tactics included offering money for minor tasks and fabricating stories about being former jockeys with ties to famous personalities, such as Sir David Jason, to impress and entrap their victims. One of the victims, who had learning difficulties, was exploited further by Carruthers, who used his condition to confuse and manipulate him.
The sentencing judge, Christopher Cornwall, delivered a stern verdict, describing the offenders as “incorrigible, predatory paedophiles” who could not resist the temptation to contact and abuse boys for their own sexual gratification. The judge emphasized the profound harm inflicted upon the victims, stating, “The harm that you have caused to each of those boys is hard to calculate. What they all have in common is that you were intent on exploiting them and their innocence.” He further warned that both men posed a significant risk of causing serious harm in the future, highlighting their dangerousness and the fact that no underage boy was safe in their company.
As part of their sentences, Carruthers was ordered to serve a minimum of five and a half years before being eligible for parole, while Bates was to serve at least four and a half years. The judge made it clear that neither was expected to be released anytime soon, and both men were disqualified from working with children for life, with strict instructions to avoid any unsupervised contact with minors.
Despite the legal restrictions, the Probation Service and police were aware that the pair, both on the Sex Offenders Register, were living together. However, current laws only allowed for monitoring, and even if released, they could potentially resume cohabitation. Prosecutor Richard Howarth expressed concern that the law might be insufficient to prevent such situations, noting that the authorities would have preferred an order preventing them from residing together, but human rights legislation posed limitations.
The court heard how the victims were groomed in a calculated and manipulative manner. Two boys met Carruthers when he asked them to look after his dogs while he briefly left to buy cigarettes. Carruthers then offered them money to perform odd jobs in his flat, gradually escalating to more serious abuse, including suggestions of large sums of money to satisfy his sexual desires. The victims recounted how Carruthers and Bates fabricated stories about their celebrity connections and even showed photographs purportedly with Sir David Jason, attempting to impress and deceive the boys.
One of the victims, who had learning difficulties, was particularly vulnerable, and Carruthers exploited this to confuse and manipulate him. The court was also told of the emotional toll on the victims’ families. One mother described her ordeal as “going through hell,” revealing her son’s ongoing fear that the pair might escape prison. Another mother shared that her son had spoken of suicide and was subjected to teasing at school after revealing his abuse.
The families of the victims had taken measures to distance themselves from the trauma, with one family relocating to escape the memories inflicted by Carruthers and Bates. The criminal histories of both offenders were extensive, with Carruthers’s criminal record dating back to 1981 and Bates’s beginning in 1983. Both men had a long history of sexual offenses, including serious assaults and previous convictions for molestation.
In a surprising turn, both Carruthers and Bates dismissed their defense teams prior to mitigation proceedings. Carruthers, in a statement to the court, claimed that he and Bates had been in a relationship for ten years and insisted that they had never conspired to abuse children. Both men maintained their innocence, despite being convicted by a jury in December.
Outside the courtroom, Detective Inspector Tony Baxter from Blackpool Police’s public protection unit expressed satisfaction with the sentence, emphasizing its importance in protecting the public. He praised the courage of the young victims who testified and hoped that the sentence would bring some measure of comfort to their families, wishing them success in their future lives.
In a related case from December 1999, Carruthers’s history of offending was further highlighted when he was convicted for assaulting a ten-year-old boy during a prison visit at Strangeways. The incident involved Carruthers’s stepfather, Gerald Frank, who smuggled the boy into the prison under false pretenses. The boy was subjected to a sexual act during the visit, which was only halted when prison staff realized what was happening. Carruthers’s past convictions included multiple charges of rape, false imprisonment, indecent assault, and other sexual offenses dating back to the early 1980s, including attacks on young boys and a mentally handicapped young man.
Residents of York, where Carruthers had previously lived, expressed their disgust and concern over his repeated offenses. Ruth Locker, a local resident, recounted her horror at Carruthers’s past and her belief that he deserved the maximum sentence. Community members had previously petitioned to have him evicted in 1987 after suspecting him of child abuse, and he had been physically assaulted by residents who believed he had harmed children.
Despite efforts to keep him away from children, Carruthers managed to continue his predatory behavior in Manchester, where he was able to conceal his criminal record and prey on more victims. The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and controlling offenders with extensive criminal histories, especially when legal frameworks limit their ability to prevent cohabitation and contact.
Overall, the case of Stephen Carruthers and John Bates highlights the persistent danger posed by individuals with a long history of sexual offenses. The court’s decisive sentencing aims to protect society and serve as a warning to others who might consider similar crimes. The victims and their families continue to grapple with the trauma inflicted, but the justice system’s actions represent a crucial step toward safeguarding vulnerable children from such predatory individuals.