'Grubby old paedophile' jailed after 50 years of crimes
A serial sex offender has been handed his first prison sentence after racking up a string of convictions dating back more than 50 years.
Former Ecton Brook Residents' Association member Bernard Craithorne, aged 78, of Long Mallows Rise, Ecton Brook, Northampton appeared at Northampton Crown Court yesterday accused of breaching his latest punishment, a supervision order which demanded he took part in an intensive sex offenders' course with Northants Probation.
Giving evidence, two probation officers said Craithorne suffered from an "entrenched denial" that he was a paedophile.
Sex offender manager at Northants Probation, Dawn Rose, said Craithorne had refused to engage in group therapy sessions.
She added: "He refused to accept that he had done anything wrong. His behaviour was unacceptable to other members of the group. For a long period of time he has convinced himself that he has never done anything wrong and it is that entrenched denial which he suffers with difficulty to overcome."
Probation officer Kimberley Bond added Craithorne had suggested in a group session that his most recent victim, a 12-year-old boy, would be "happy" as a result of the sexual abuse.
During his original trial in 2007 he was convicted of causing the 12-year-old, for sexual gratification, to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity, and indecent touching of the victim. He was described by the trial judge as a "grubby old paedophile" and placed on the three-year supervision order.
Craithorne was first convicted in 1959 of indecently assaulting two girls, aged seven and nine.
Stuart Yeung, defending Craithorne, said he had consistently attended his scheduled meetings and, as such, had not breached his order. He accused Northants Probation of "simply giving up" on the offender because he "wasn't giving them the answers they wanted to hear".
Judge Ian Alexander QC said he had not been convinced the order had been breached but added it "was never going to work".
He added: "The reality is, with hindsight, the order should never have been made and I see no reason why he should not serve the maximum sentence available."
A separate application was made for it to be revoked in the interests of justice, and Craithorne was jailed for 18 months.
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