In 2026, the Offender Register reported that prolific child sex offender Bernard Crathorne, formerly of Grosvenor Gardens, Northampton, has died at HMP Norwich at the age of 92. A newly published report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) confirmed that the elderly prisoner passed away in custody from natural causes, specifically frailty of old age and ischaemic heart disease, while serving a sentence for repeated child safety breaches and child sexual offences.
Crathorne was originally remanded into custody in August 2020 after Northamptonshire Police responded to reports from concerned parents. As a registered sex offender, Crathorne was subject to strict court orders banning any unsupervised contact with children under 16. However, he repeatedly approached young children outside his Northampton address, offering them sweets and money in an effort to lure them inside his property. None of the children entered the residence, and their families promptly alerted law enforcement.
CUSTODIAL SENTENCE AND CUSTODY DEATH REPORT
Following his arrest, Crathorne was charged with four counts of breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), one count of sexual assault on a child, and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. On 14 October 2022, he pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court and was sentenced to four years and six months in prison, alongside a five-year extended licence. At the time, Detective Constable Angie Torley branded Crathorne a “dangerous and prolific sex offender” and commended the bravery of the child victims and their families.
The PPO investigation and an independent clinical review established that Crathorne received palliative care equivalent to community standards during his final months at HMP Norwich. An inquest officially concluded that he died from natural causes, with ombudsman inspectors identifying no non-clinical concerns or care deficiencies during his terminal custody period.
BERNARD CRATHORNE CUSTODIAL RECORD SUMMARY
- Legal Status: DECEASED (Died of natural causes while serving a custodial sentence at HMP Norwich).
- Sentence History: Sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment plus a 5-year extended licence at Northampton Crown Court on 14 October 2022.
- Offence History: Four counts of breaching an SHPO, one count of sexual assault on a child, and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
- Investigating Force: Northamptonshire Police / Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO Custody Audit).
- Offender Profile: Bernard Crathorne (Died aged 92); Formerly of Grosvenor Gardens, Northampton, Northamptonshire.
IMAGE CREDIT: Northamptonshire Police Registries / HMP Norwich Ombudsman Logs
POST-MORTEM CUSTODIAL AUDIT AND COMMUNITY SAFETY FILTERS
The publication of the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman report officially closes the operational tracking file on Bernard Crathorne. Because Crathorne demonstrated a persistent, chronic tendency to target local children using enticements like sweets and money, public protection authorities maintained him in secure custody until his death to eliminate community risk.
Although Crathorne’s death permanently extinguishes his custodial sentence and SHPO, his historical conviction records remain permanently logged within multi-agency public protection databases. Independent audits into custody deaths ensure that institutional healthcare standards were maintained while guaranteeing that high-risk child predators remain fully contained throughout their sentences.
QUESTION — Given that Bernard Crathorne repeatedly attempted to lure children into his home despite existing court bans, do you believe elderly sex offenders who breach protective orders should face automatic life imprisonment without possibility of release?
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