STEPHEN JEWITT FROM CRANSWICK BACK ON EAST YORKSHIRE STREETS AFTER SERVING JUST A THIRD OF HIS SENTENCE
In a disturbing case that has once again brought attention to the issue of sexual offenses against minors, Stephen Jewitt, a man from Cranswick, has been released back into the community after serving only a fraction of his prison sentence.Jewitt, aged 56, was initially sentenced to ten years in prison at Hull Crown Court in April 2018, following his conviction for the sexual assault of a 10-year-old boy over three decades ago in a barn located within the East Riding of Yorkshire.
According to court records, the heinous acts took place when Jewitt was a teenager, and he was found guilty of indecency with a child as well as a second serious sexual offense.
The court heard that the assault occurred more than 30 years prior to his conviction, highlighting the long-standing nature of the case and the challenges faced in bringing such offenders to justice.
However, less than six months after his initial sentencing, Jewitt successfully appealed his conviction, leading to a reduction in his sentence from ten years to seven.
The Court of Appeal justified this decision on the grounds that the victim had not been groomed prior to the abuse, which was a significant factor in reassessing the severity of the offense.
Following the reduction, Jewitt was released on licence on a Friday after serving approximately half of his new sentence.
His release has raised concerns among local residents and advocacy groups, given the serious nature of his crimes and the potential risk to the community.
During the original trial, the victim, who was around ten years old at the time of the abuse, testified about the profound and lasting impact the crimes had on his life.
He described suffering from issues such as heavy drinking, gambling problems, and mood swings, which he attributed to the trauma inflicted by Jewitt’s actions.
Prosecutor John Thackray explained that the victim did not come forward to report the abuse until 2016.
The delay was partly due to the victim’s desire to protect his mother, who lived in the area, and his fear of causing her embarrassment.
When he finally reported the incident, he struggled to recall the abuser’s name but was able to describe the location of the crime as a barn in the East Riding and provided a description of the attacker.
Jewitt initially claimed that he was innocent and that the person responsible was someone else, asserting that he was a victim of mistaken identity.
Despite his denials, the jury quickly saw through his lies, reaching a verdict of guilty after just 30 minutes of deliberation during a six-day trial.
In the 2018 trial, Jewitt, then aged 53, faced charges of grooming and serious sexual assault.
He denied all allegations, maintaining that he was not the perpetrator.
Nevertheless, the evidence presented was compelling enough for the jury to convict him of buggery and indecency with a child, leading to his ten-year sentence.
Prosecutor Thackray recounted that the victim, at the time of the abuse, was approximately ten years old and had identified Jewitt as his attacker after seeing his name on a Facebook page of a local resident.
The victim’s recognition was confirmed through an identity parade, where he was able to pick Jewitt out from a lineup.
The victim’s description, including that his abuser had ginger hair, was consistent with Jewitt’s appearance at the time.
Jewitt admitted to having ginger hair during that period but claimed he sometimes dyed it.
He also acknowledged a connection to the barn where the abuse took place.
Jewitt, who resides on Station Road in Cranswick near Driffield, was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, a requirement that underscores the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
His recent release has sparked concern among residents and authorities alike, raising questions about the adequacy of the sentence served and the measures in place to monitor offenders after their release.
