A former police officer from Hartlepool has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for historic child sex abuse committed decades ago. Raymond Wild, now a grandfather residing in Heybridge, Maldon, Essex, was convicted at Teesside Crown Court of three counts of sexual assault following a trial in early 2018.
The court heard that Wild, who served as a police officer in Hartlepool for four years before moving to southern England, abused a young girl in the 1970s or 1980s. The victim, who confronted Wild in the 1990s, reported that he admitted to the abuse at the time, apologising and claiming she had enjoyed it. However, Wild later denied the allegations, convincing others that the claims were fabrications and portraying the victim as a trouble-maker, as stated by prosecutor Paul Cleasby.
In 2002, the victim reported the abuse to the police, but the case was initially dropped due to insufficient evidence. She sought a review in 2015, leading to Wild's arrest and charges. The jury convicted him on three sexual assault charges but was unable to reach verdicts on two additional counts of sexual assault and two counts of indecency with a child. The trial highlighted the victim's determination in pursuing justice despite the emotional toll.
In her impact statement, the victim described how Wild's actions ruined her childhood, forcing her to keep the abuse secret and leading to lifelong shame, guilt, anxiety, and depression. She noted, 'My childhood was ruined. He had become my worst nightmare and he made me keep what he was doing to me a secret. The shame, guilt and troubles that came from being an abused child has been literally harrowing.' Post-trial, she added, 'I don’t understand why he did not plead guilty because he knew what he had done, and admitted it to me. Having to give evidence against him felt like I was on trial, not him. What he did was so wrong.'
Wild's barrister, Matthew Morgan, outlined his client's subsequent career in furniture distribution, sales, and engineering after relocating. Character references from Wild's children and neighbours portrayed him as liked, respected, honest, and kind. However, Judge Howard Crowson rejected claims of opportunism, stating, 'I cannot accept this was opportunistic. You took advantage of a situation. She was too young to realise what you were doing was sexual.' The judge imposed an 11-year custodial sentence plus two years of supervision, noting Wild posed no current danger to children.
The case, reported by the Maldon and Burnham Standard on 13th February 2018, underscores the long-term pursuit of justice for historic sexual offences. Wild's conviction stems from events in Hartlepool, County Durham, with sentencing at Teesside Crown Court.