Raymond Monks - Rossendale
Raymond Monks - Rossendale

Raymond Monks, a depraved octogenarian Rossendale Paedophile who sexually assaulted a schoolboy on a weekend go-karting excursion in West Cumbria has been sentenced to imprisonment.

Raymond Monks, 78, denied claims of exhibiting a pornographic DVD to the youngster prior to sexually assaulting him in his campervan during a trip to the Rowrah race circuit near Frizington over a decade ago.

Following a trial at Carlisle Crown Court, Raymond Monks was found guilty of both crimes based on evidence deemed ‘compelling’ by the judge.

The jury heard that the youngster, aged under 13 when the abuse happened, was at the race track for a weekend trip organised by 58-year-old Andrew Fairley, who was recently jailed for systematically grooming and abusing the same boy.

Prosecuting barrister Rob Wyn Jones said that Raymond Monks, a married father, took advantage of the schoolboy because he knew that Fairley had already groomed him and he thought it was unlikely he would tell anybody.

In evidence, the now adult victim recalled how a group of boys had taken him to see Raymond Monks at his motorhome, where the defendant put on a pornographic video. He then sent the other boys away, closed the curtains and locked the door.

It was at this point that the abuse happened.

In his evidence, Raymond Monks accepted that he had been watching pornography when the victim and two other boys were in his motor home. Asked if it was appropriate to have watched pornography with schoolboys, he said: “Lads are lads.”

He added: “At their age, they’ve most likely seen it before.”

Mr Wyn Jones suggested that he had a reputation among the boys at the racetrack for showing children pornographic videos. Raymond Monks denied being sexually aroused by the pornography or using it to facilitate the abuse.

Keith Harrison, defending, said what happened had been an isolated offence and was obviously far less serious that the prolonged and systematic abuse perpetrated by Fairley over a lengthy period.

In an impact statement, the victim described how the abuse – that perpetrated by both Fairley and by Raymond Monks – had left him suffering panic attacks, depression and paranoia, all of which he attributes to what happened.

He was haunted by memories of the abuse and found it difficult working with older men. “Raymond Monks did not groom me in the same way Andrew Fairley did – but he also took advantage, predated on me and abused me,” said the victim.

“He then threw me to one side and didn’t care that I was a child; he used me to satisfy his own sexual fantasies. He will never know how much pain and suffering he has caused me.”

Judge Richard Archer told the defendant: “You have been convicted by a jury on compelling evidence of the sexual abuse of [the boy].” The judge said he was satisfied that showing the boy a pornographic film was an intention precursor to the abuse, intended to help him achieve his goal.

“You used him for your sexual gain,” said the judge. “You used him for that short period of time and then discarded him.”

Raymond Monks had shown no remorse. The judge jailed him for six years and put him on the Sex Offender Register indefinitely. The judge also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, which will bar Monks from ever staying at a property where there a child, unless there is written permission from Social Services.

His use of the internet must also be subject to strict police monitoring. As the sentence was passed, Raymond Monks, of Greens Lane, Rossendale, Lancashire, showed no emotion.


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