Probation officer ‘manipulated’ into letting child rapist attend school event

 A probation officer helped a convicted child rapist attend a school induction event without police consent, a court heard.

Mark Clee was accused by a prosecutor of getting too friendly with Jeremy Raikes, 50, and being “manipulated” into turning a blind eye to his activities, which also included taking his partner’s young son swimming.

Susan Cavender told Gloucester Crown Court that Mr Clee had developed a “very close relationship” with Raikes, whom she claim had “manipulated” him.

Raikes admitted five breaches of a sexual harm prevention order imposed in 2006 when he was jailed for raping a young girl over a four-year period.

He was released on parole in 2016, but his licence period does not end until 2023. The prosecutor said: “He should be able to have contact with boys, but not girls essentially... no contact with children under 18 without the consent of parents, and not with girls save by accident.”

She added: “We say he is in breach of all conditions [of the order].”

Raikes was remanded in custody until the sentence hearing, which was fixed for Sept 17.