KENNETH STEPHENS SENTENCED IN GATESHEAD FOR SEXUAL OFFENCE AT NEWCASTLE STATION
In July 2017, Kenneth Stephens, a 68-year-old man from Joyce Court, Wardley, Gateshead, was involved in an incident at Newcastle Central Station that led to his conviction for sexual touching.The victim, a teenage girl who cannot be named for legal reasons, described how Stephens approached her and another girl while they sat on a bench opposite Burger King on May 11.
Prosecutor Justin Gibson highlighted the details of the incident during a hearing at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
According to her statement, the girl recounted that Stephens, who was visibly intoxicated, rubbed her shoulder and told her she was ‘beautiful.’ She explained, “The man placed one of his hands on my left shoulder, I felt it moving slowly right to left.
He looked me up and down and said I was beautiful.
I told him to leave me alone twice.
I felt his fingers press, and he said ‘how are you going to get through life being nasty to people?’ As he walked away, he said we were ‘a couple of years too old for me anyway.’” The girl added, “At the time, I felt intimidated, uncomfortable and confused.
I believe he touched me in a sexual way, and I can’t believe he touched me like that in a busy public place.” After the incident, police stopped Stephens on platform three and he reportedly told officers, “he was expecting that” and asked them to tell the victim he was “sorry.” Stephens, who had prior convictions for three sexual assaults as recent as February, was already under a community order and registered as a sex offender for five years following his earlier conviction.
He pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual touching.
He received a 17-week prison sentence, suspended for one year, along with a £200 court costs.
His registration period was extended to seven years.
Chair of the bench Janice Brazell stated, “You have posed the bench a rather difficult decision.
We are going to sentence you to a term of 17 weeks in custody.
We have listened to the advice of your probation officer and we are prepared to suspend your sentence.
The community order has not had time put anything positive into effect.
We hope you will work with probation and we will not see you again.”
