A 75-year-old man who systematically sexually abused a young girl and told her “just don’t tell anyone” has been jailed for 12 years. William Raison, also known as Bill Raison, of Surbiton, committed multiple sexual offences against the child, who was known to him, over a period of around a year. He was arrested in February 2025 after the girl disclosed what had happened to her family. During the police investigation, the survivor described how she once pretended to be asleep when Raison entered the room because she wanted to discover what he would do if he believed she was sleeping. She told officers that if he did anything inappropriate, she wanted to tell someone so it would not happen to anybody else. On one occasion when she confronted Raison directly, he told her: “It doesn’t matter. Just don’t tell anyone.” Raison was charged with two counts of sexual assault by penetration of a girl under 13, four counts of sexual assault of a girl under 13 and making 216 Category C indecent images of children. He pleaded guilty to all seven offences at Guildford Crown Court on June 19. On Thursday, September 17, Raison was sentenced to 12 years in prison with an additional year on licence. A lifelong restraining order was imposed to protect the survivor and her family, while Raison was also made subject to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Investigating officer DC Kiki Phillips said Raison had used grooming behaviour to facilitate “deplorable, systematic abuse” on numerous occasions and had encouraged his victim to remain silent. She praised the girl’s courage in speaking openly to investigators, saying her detailed evidence helped police identify forensic and digital evidence. DC Phillips added: “I hope that the survivor and her family can seek some solace in knowing that Raison is behind bars and unable to harm anyone else, thanks to her courage. “I wish the survivor the best in achieving her aspirations and hope she recognises how many lives she’s saved.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
