A pedophile gave young boys expensive gifts and fed one pot noodles laced with drugs before s*xually abusing him in a decade-long campaign of sickening abuse.
Raymond Hawthorne exploited the two children for his own twisted desires lavishing one of the youngsters with gifts, including trainers and a bike.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the now 60-year-old “preyed upon, groomed and s*xual assaulted” his victims in the Birkenhead area over the course of around 10 years in the 1980s and 90s. One recalled being aged as young as five when Hawthorne, of no fixed address, began abusing him.
Robert Dudley, prosecuting, described how the pervert would put his hands down the complainant’s trousers and touch his p*nis, as well as perform s*x acts upon him. His vile behaviour continued for years and ultimately “escalated” to him raping the boy on two occasions before “chuckling” at his cries of pain.
In a statement which was read out to the court on his behalf, he said: “For as long as I can remember, I have lived a life of fear. I had feelings of embarrassment, guilt, remorse.
“I was so young, and I questioned if any of it was my fault or not. As I started to get older, I started to realise that what was going on was wrong.
“I was scared of talking about it with anyone. I felt ashamed, I didn’t think anyone would believe me.
‘I’m Not That Vulnerable Young Boy Anymore and He’s Not That Strong Man’
“He was a big strong man, and I was just a little kid. He deprived me of the childhood I should have had and ultimately the person I should have become.
“It is only in the last four to five years that I have found a little peace and tried to put the past behind me. I’m not that vulnerable young boy anymore and he’s not that strong man.”
Hawthorne was meanwhile said to have taken the second child on trips away to Blackpool and theme parks and “bought him extravagant gifts” such as clothing, training shoes and even a bicycle, as well as plying him with alcohol and drugs.
The now three-time convicted s*x offender then “smacked his bottom” and forced his hands into his pants and s*xually assaulted him.
This victim also described being given pot noodles during visits to his abuser’s house, then “remembering nothing” before waking up naked and realising he had been assaulted.
Hawthorne, who was later said to have attempted to “bribe” him with cash, denied his appalling crimes when finally, confronted decades later and claimed that the allegations had been “fabricated for compensation”.
The second complainant said that Hawthorne’s actions had resulted in an “indescribable impact” upon him. He added in his statement: “I’ve been beating myself up my whole life, acting wounded and feeling sorry for myself.
‘He Cannot Harm Any More Children’
“I’ve been to hell and all of those dark places over and over again, sometimes not knowing if I could go on and unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Child abuse has lifelong effects, the consequences of which can’t ever be fixed.
“I’m still finding it all difficult to process, the fact that justice has finally been done. I don’t believe the psychological effects will ever go away, but I am feeling slightly more positive and believe there is a light at the end of that long dark tunnel.
“I desperately want to start living. I want my life back, I want me back. He cannot harm any more children. This gives me hope for the future. I realise the past cannot be changed. But my future can.”
