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Paedophile, 76, jailed for raping girl 40 years ago and ‘could die behind bars’

Pensioner 'could die behind bars' after being jailed for raping girl 40 years ago pics : SWNS
Ralph Sevenson, 76, must now stay in jail for 33 years after a second victim came forward (Picture: SWNS)

A 76-year-old paedophile who is already in jail for raping a young child has been jailed for an additional 22 years for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl four decades ago.

Ralph Stevenson was serving an 18-year sentence handed to him in 2013 and his new sentence must run consecutively, meaning he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.

The girl, whom he was found to have raped twice and sexually assaulted 23 times over a ten-year period during the 1970s and 1980s, came forward as an adult after learning he had been convicted of similar offences.

The existing conviction was for one count of raping a child under 13, nine counts of sexual assault and three counts of taking indecent images of a child between 2008 and 2013.

All those offences were committed against the same child, whose gender is not publicly known.

Neither of the victims can be identified for legal reasons.

Stevenson pleaded guilty to the offences part of his 2013 conviction, although he denied the allegations for which he was tried this year and was convicted by a jury.

They were first reported to Nottinghamshire Police in 2019.

Ralph Stevenson. A pensioner is facing spending the rest of his life behind bars after being found guilty of raping and indecently assaulting a young girl in the 1970s and 1980s. See SWNS story SWMDpaedo. Seventy-six-year-old Ralph Stevenson was today jailed for 22 years for assaulting the girl repeatedly at addresses in the Nottingham area. A jury at Nottingham Crown Court heard how the victim found the strength to report the offences when she learned that Stevenson had been convicted and jailed for a string of similar offences. The woman, who cannot be named, explained how she?d endured regular sexual assaults during her childhood, including two incidents of rape when she was just 13 years old.
A jury at Nottingham Crown Court convicted Stevenson, who denied the latest allegations (Picture: SWNS)

Detective Constable Amy Revill, who oversaw the subsequent investigations, said: ‘This was an appalling catalogue of offences that – had it not been for the bravery and determination of the victim – would have gone unresolved and unpunished.

‘Stevenson repeatedly assaulted a child over a period of more than 10 years – forcing her to engage in acts that she was simply too young to understand.’

She praised the victim’s ‘great dignity and courage’ in going to the police and enduring the ‘difficult journey’ of the court case.

DC Revill continued: ‘So, as Stevenson prepares to spend even more of this life in prison, I would like to publicly thank her and her family for help and cooperation they have given to this investigation at what I know has been an extremely difficult time.

‘Even though these offences happened a very long time ago we investigated them in exactly the same way we always do – with care, determination and professionalism.

‘I am delighted that we have been able to get justice for the victim and hope that the end of this trial gives some sense of closure.

She added: ‘I would also like to remind all victims of sexual abuse that it is never too late to report what happened to you in the past.

‘We will listen to you, we will investigate and we will to our absolute best to get justice for you.’

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