How the Herald warned evil Hewett was on the prowl here
The Herald has campaigned about Raymond Hewlett, making readers aware of his movements here, for the past nine years.
The paedophile was first revealed to be living in Ireland in an investigation by this newspaper in March 2000.
We told readers how the British sex offender has a history of rape and sexual attacks on young girls and has served sentences for sex offences.
Abductions
The father-of-eight has convictions for kidnapping and raping or molesting a number of young girls in England, and was questioned about a series of further abductions.
Hewlett, who has been married three times, has travelled here frequently over the past two decades, with gardai first started logging his movements in 1991. During his time here, he lived in Cork, Sligo, Donegal and Louth. Police claim that balding Hewlett, who has the tattoo 'Sue' on his left wrist, drugged his victims before sexually assaulting them.
Hewlett was known to entice children into his car, using thinners or other chemical substances to sedate them before carrying out sexual assaults.
He would also pose as an undercover police officer to conduct searchs of young girls or befriend their family.
In 2001, British detectives began a manhunt for Hewlett, issuing his photograph in a bid to capture him.
They were seeking him for questioning about the murder of an 11-year-old girl, Lesley Molseed, in October 1975. Another man served 16 years for the killing before being found innocent. Hewlett has denied the murder. A senior garda described Hewlett as a committed paedophile and a serious danger to young girls.
He was known to associate with hippies and frequent their encampments, according to the officer.
Detectives involved in Operation Trace, set up to find missing women on the east coast and the midlands, were given a file on Hewlett, however, no evidence was found to link him to any of the missing women.
Sanctions
Hewlett, a native of Blackpool was one of a number of high-risk paedophiles who British police believe travelled to Ireland in order to avoid stricter legal sanctions in the UK.
Hewlett, like many British sex offenders, travels often and police believe he has visited at least nine countries.
- Cormac Looney
