‘The police should have warned us’: Dangerous sex offender infiltrated city community groups
49-YEAR-OLD JAILED FOR HORRIFYING CAMPAIGN OF ABUSE
A PREDATORY monster who has been called “a danger to girls and women” had been living in Hull under the radar of police and helping vulnerable women after volunteering in the city.
Simon Heslop, 49, became involved in “helping” and used various community-based Facebook groups to make contact with people, offering to help fix their bikes and deliver fixed up bikes to women and children.
Arriving in the city during 2020 and going under the Facebook name of “Simon Bike Guy Heslop”, he soon made himself invaluable to several groups who voluntarily help those in need in Hull on an informal basis.
However, after vanishing without trace in July this year, his new friends have been sickened to discover the reason for his abrupt disappearance.
Heslop, 49, appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday and was jailed for 30 years for a horrifying campaign of sex attacks against three victims.
Heslop was jailed for multiple offences of rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child spanning a period of more than 30 years. There were two other female victims who he was convicted of abusing.
Recorder Jonathan Sandiford QC, presiding over the case, branded Heslop a “danger to girls and women” who had “a sense of male privilege” which he believed entitled him to sexually abuse the girls and women, who he regarded as “objects and sexual playthings”.
Heslop, who also used the surname Helstrip, was also convicted of sexual assault in 2015 and was jailed for 14 months and was ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for seven years.
He was still subject to conditions imposed by the signing of the register when he got involved with the Hull Good Deeds Facebook group, which provides help and support for families and vulnerable people.
Many had praised Heslop’s actions on Facebook after he ingratiated himself with locals through his seemingly charitable efforts.
One person posted on One Hull of a City ‘s Facebook page: “We have some fantastic community groups in Hull.
“Simon Bike Guy Heslop and his friend have been working tirelessly since October, taking old bikes and making them good to give out to those in need.
“He has gradually acquired a lock-up full of kids bikes which he’d love to find homes for!”
Another volunteer on the Hull Good Deeds page posted: “Our amazing member Simon Bike Guy Heslop has been fixing and donating bikes to them who need them, and has really helped our members in need out.
“Just want to say thank you Simon, you’re amazing.”
One person who was befriended by Heslop said she “felt sick” when she found out the reason for his sudden disappearance this year, and has questioned why police had not uncovered what he was doing in the community and warned people.
“I can’t understand how he was allowed to move here. We all wondered why he disappeared in July and his lock-up was shut and his Facebook page deleted.
“All this time he was on the sex offender’s list. It’s made us all feel sick. He got on our groups and his lock-up was near a vulnerable women’s centre.
“What frightened us was thinking he was going round to vulnerable people’s houses to pick up their bikes. But he seemed like a really nice friendly guy, I didn’t get any bad vibes from him, but now this has made me not trust people anymore.
“It seems to me that someone has not done their job properly. The police should have known and warned us,” she added.
Hull Live contacted Humberside Police, West Yorkshire Police and Merseyside Police – the three police force areas where Heslop either lived or committed offences in the past seven years – for comment, but one was not provided.