Rushden child rapist hid sinister past from friends and boyfriend

A Rushden rapist who had been ordered not to have unsupervised contact with children took an unwitting friend’s three youngsters to the park without telling her he was a rapist.

Reece Hillson – who also uses the spelling Rhys – was sentenced to a two year youth rehabilitation order five years ago after raping a young boy. At the time Hillson was 14-years-old and all defendants appearing in the youth court are given automatic anonymity – so the wider public didn’t know of his conviction and he was able to keep it a secret.

Hillson, of Irchester Road, Rushden, was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) which included strict conditions about how he must behave. He was banned from having any unsupervised contact with children.

Appearing at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday (November 24), Hillson pleaded guilty to two breaches of his SHPO and an assault.

The court was told that Hillson, now 20, took his friend’s three under-sevens to the park in Wellingborough which was a ‘serious breach’ of his SHPO. There was no suggestion that he had harmed them in any way or that his motive was sexual.

He also admitted moving in with a boyfriend without telling his supervising officer, again in breach of his SHPO.

Hillson also pleaded guilty to a common assault against his former boyfriend, who had no idea of his criminal past.

The court was told that back in 2017, Hillson had forced a child to have oral sex with him, resulting in his conviction for rape.

Since Hillson’s arrest, the court was told the revelation had had a profound effect on his former partner who has been left unable to sleep.

In mitigation, barrister Nathalie Carter said her client had completed four-and-a-half years of his SHPO without incident.

"He wasn’t seeking out new victims,” she said. “He just didn’t want to tell people about his situation.

"He was trying to ingratiate himself with adults.”

The court heard that Hillson was very young for his age and at the time of his rape conviction, his headteacher had told the court he was developmentally around eight-years-old.

His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo said: “The order was in place to prevent you doing what you did which was to spend time with children.

"I’m not here to punish you for not telling your partner about this because that wasn’t part of the offence but it does tell me something about your attitude to this order.”

Hillson was sentenced to a 14 month prison term, suspended for two years. He will have to complete 50 rehabilitation requirement days and undertake a six month mental health treatment order.

Judge Mayo also ordered a report on Hillson’s progress to be made to the court in six months’ time.

The original SHPO has now expired and the court heard it will be a decision for the CPS whether they apply for a further order in the magistrates’ court.