Founding Saxon bassist Steve Dawson found guilty of child sex abuse
He has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Image: Guitar.com
Following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court on 11 April, former Saxon bassist Steve Dawson has been jailed for five years for a history of child sex offences.
The bassist was found guilty at an earlier hearing on 21 March. The court ruled Dawson, aged 72, guilty of the repeated abuse of a six-year-old girl in the 1990s, as well as four counts of indecent assault of a child under 14. He was given a five-year custodial sentence on Thursday.
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In a statement shared by Doncaster Free Press, officer Detective Constable Robert Heath comments: “Stephen Dawson thought he had got away with committing these horrific crimes against a young, vulnerable victim 30 years ago.”
“She has shown extraordinary strength through coming forward and throughout the course of the investigation, resulting in Dawson spending a number of years in prison,” Heath continues. “It is clear that his evil acts have remained with her throughout her life, and I hope this sentence goes some way to allowing her to move on from these traumatic events,”
While Dawson was a founding member of Saxon, he only played bass in the band from 1975 to 1986. He went on to play in Graham Oliver’s Army, while Nibbs Carter took his place on bass in 1988.
Doncaster Free Press has also shared a statement from Dawson’s bandmates in Graham Oliver’s Army, who write: “To say we are all shocked and disgusted by Dawson’s actions is an understatement.”
“While these vile offences occurred post-Saxon… we are all sickened by his predatory behaviour against a small child, and hope this prison sentence gives his victim some closure on her terrible ordeal.”