STEVEN KELSEY FROM LINCOLN ESCAPES JAIL OVER DECADES-OLD CHILD SEX ABUSE CASE
In a case that has stirred significant public concern, Steven Kelsey, a 63-year-old man from Canwick Road in Lincoln, has narrowly avoided imprisonment after admitting to multiple charges of child sexual abuse committed several decades ago.The offences, which Kelsey committed when he was a teenager, have left lasting scars on his victims, who described feeling robbed of their childhoods.
During proceedings at Teesside Crown Court on Friday, May 13, Mr.
Justice Smith addressed Kelsey's case, emphasizing the complexities involved in sentencing for historical crimes.
He explained that if Kelsey had been an adult at the time of the offences, he would have faced a life sentence, stating, “if he could be certain he had been an adult when he committed the offences, he would have ‘died in prison.’” However, due to the laws governing sentencing for crimes committed in the 1970s, the maximum penalty available was only six months in jail.
Mr.
Justice Smith acknowledged that such a sentence would not have adequately reflected the severity of Kelsey’s actions.
He expressed his dilemma, noting that a six-month sentence would likely have resulted in only a few weeks behind bars, followed by a lack of supervision or support after release.
There were three victims in this case, each of whom shared the profound impact Kelsey’s actions had on their lives.
The judge remarked, “Understandably, each of them feel they were robbed of their childhood by you.” One victim recounted how Kelsey’s abuse had “robbed his sanity,” while another described enduring severe psychological distress as a result of the offences.
In sentencing, Mr.
Justice Smith highlighted the historical context, stating, “Your case relates to your own crimes committed by yourself when you were a teenager.
If you were a teenager you would be going to prison for some time, but that was not the position in the 1970s.” He acknowledged the perceived injustice but emphasized the importance of following the law as it stood at the time.
The judge concluded that the maximum sentence he could impose was comparable to penalties for minor offences such as shoplifting or a physical altercation on a Friday night, which underscores the limitations imposed by the legal framework for historical crimes.
