JOHN STERCKX FROM BARRY TARGETED VULNERABLE 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN YORK ONLINE CRIME

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, former café owner John Sterckx, aged 37 and residing in Rhoose, Barry, was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of engaging in a series of sexual offenses involving a vulnerable 13-year-old girl from York. The case, which unfolded in York Crown Court, revealed a pattern of predatory behavior carried out over several months through online communications.

Prosecutor Paul Cleasby detailed how Sterckx exhibited a voyeuristic interest in the young girl, who had previously been subjected to abuse by other men. The court heard that Sterckx manipulated the girl into sending him explicit photographs of herself and encouraged her to describe her past sexual experiences via the internet. Over a span of four months, the two exchanged a staggering 1,780 text messages, most of which contained highly sexual content. Despite knowing her age, Sterckx continued to discuss the possibility of having sex with her, even though he was aware she was still in school and living with her parents.

Authorities discovered 52 images of the girl stored on Sterckx’s phone, six of which experts classified as highly explicit and sexually provocative. The case highlighted the significant age gap of 24 years between Sterckx and the girl, and it was confirmed that the two never met in person. Sterckx lived in Wales, while the girl resided in York.

During the sentencing, Judge Stephen Ashurst, the Recorder of York, emphasized the severity of the defendant’s actions. He stated, “It must have been apparent to you that the child you were speaking to online was a damaged child. She was vulnerable to being exploited.”

Sterckx pleaded guilty to three charges of inciting or engaging a child in sexual activity and seven counts of possessing indecent images of a child. The court sentenced him to 15 months in prison, ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years, and imposed a ten-year sexual offences prevention order that restricts his use of the internet.

His legal representative, barrister David Dixon, described Sterckx as a family man who had made a “catastrophic lack of judgment.” Dixon explained that Sterckx had initially met the girl through an adult dating website, where she had falsely claimed to be 18. However, Sterckx accepted that he was aware of her true age. The defense also revealed that Sterckx had been struggling with stress and financial difficulties following the collapse of his café business, which left him more than £100,000 in debt, including substantial debts to his father-in-law and other relatives.

It was further disclosed that Sterckx had abstained from messaging the girl for two separate periods of four weeks each, during which his personal stresses temporarily eased. Recognizing his need for help, Sterckx acknowledged his problematic behavior and expressed awareness of his issues, indicating a degree of remorse for his actions.