STALYBRIDGE WOMAN DOMINIKA WEREMCZUK AND MARK HOUSEMAN SENTENCED FOR CHILD EXPLOITATION AND SEXUAL ABUSE

In May 2022, a disturbing case of child exploitation and sexual abuse unfolded involving two individuals from Stalybridge, Dominika Weremczuk and Mark Houseman. The court heard harrowing details of how Weremczuk, then a young woman, groomed a 13-year-old girl into engaging in sexual activities with multiple men in exchange for money, and how she later sexually assaulted the same girl in front of a male observer.

The grooming process began at a house party where Weremczuk first met the young girl. During this gathering, she supplied the girl with drugs, including cocaine, and engaged in sexual acts with her. The situation escalated over time, with the girl, now between 14 and 15 years old, being encouraged to meet men for sex in exchange for cash. Weremczuk provided detailed instructions on where to go, what the men looked like, and how much money she could earn by performing sexual acts.

The court was told that Weremczuk, who was studying criminology and psychology at university at the time, continued to facilitate these encounters. She arranged for the girl to meet different men, who paid her for sex. On one occasion, Weremczuk took the girl to Mark Houseman’s residence in Stalybridge. She claimed that Houseman was going to take some pictures, but once they arrived in the bedroom, she instructed the girl to undress, and both engaged in sexual activity while Houseman watched.

Following this incident, Weremczuk’s behavior turned abusive. The girl confided in her family, who subsequently reported the matter to the police. During police interviews, Weremczuk, now aged 25, admitted to having engaged in sexual activity with the girl and acknowledged her involvement in prostitution.

Both Weremczuk and Houseman, residents of Stalybridge, were found guilty of causing or inciting the exploitation of a child. Additionally, Weremczuk was convicted of sexual activity with a child and of arranging or facilitating child exploitation. She had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The court heard a powerful victim impact statement from the girl, who described her emotional and psychological trauma. She recounted how her life changed after the abuse, including her reliance on drugs, her struggles with trust, and her feelings of paranoia. She expressed heartbreak over her relationship with her mother and the difficulty of reliving her trauma in court. Despite the pain, she appreciated that the jury recognized her suffering and saw through the lies told by her abusers.

Sentencing saw Weremczuk receive a prison term of 11 years, with a requirement to serve two-thirds of her sentence behind bars. Mark Houseman was sentenced to three years in prison. Both individuals were also subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and are required to register as sex offenders indefinitely, reflecting the severity of their crimes and the ongoing risk they pose to the community in Stalybridge.