STEPHEN KELSEY FROM RODBOURNE ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD SEX ABUSE CASE IN SWINDON

In a recent court hearing held at Swindon Crown Court, Stephen Kelsey, a 56-year-old man from Rodbourne, narrowly avoided serving time behind bars after admitting to multiple charges of child sexual abuse. The case, which marks his fifth appearance in court related to such offenses, has once again brought to light the disturbing pattern of his criminal behavior spanning over three decades.

Despite the prosecution's plea for a custodial sentence, Judge Tom Longbotham opted to impose a three-year probation order on Kelsey. The judge expressed concern over the severity of the crimes but emphasized the importance of treatment and rehabilitation over incarceration. This decision follows a similar order handed down less than 15 months prior, where a different judge had also recommended probation, citing that imprisonment would hinder Kelsey’s chances of receiving the necessary help to address his predatory tendencies.

The offenses in question date back to the 1980s, a period when the maximum penalty for such crimes was limited to two years in prison. The court was informed that Kelsey had been characterized as a “life course paedophile” in a pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service. Probation officer Amanda Murray explained to the court, “My understanding is that Mr Kelsey has an attraction to pre-pubescent boys which will last him his entire life unless it is contained. We can only attempt to limit this through treatment.”

Kelsey, who resides at Burnham Court in Rodbourne, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecency with a child, with the incidents occurring between June 28, 1985, and the end of 1988. It was revealed that he exploited his hobby of train spotting as a means to meet young boys, whom he subsequently abused. These latest charges are part of a long history of convictions, with his criminal record dating back to 1967 when he was first convicted of gross indecency by magistrates in Weymouth. Three years later, he served a six-month jail sentence for offenses involving teenagers met at railway stations.

In 1976, Kelsey was placed on a two-year probation period for gross indecency. The court heard that he has continued to pose a threat, with the current case representing his fifth set of convictions over a span of 38 years. During the hearing, Kelsey’s defense attorney, Ian Halliday, stated that his client had begun participating in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program. Judge Longbotham ordered Kelsey to attend this program as a condition of his probation and also mandated that he register as a sex offender for five years, underscoring the ongoing concern regarding his predatory behavior.