STEPHEN COYLE FROM LUTON SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR ABUSE OFFENCES IN 2007

In April 2007, Stephen Coyle, a convicted paedophile from Luton, was sentenced to life imprisonment for a series of disturbing sexual offences, including abuse involving a four-year-old girl.

Luton Crown Court heard on Friday that Coyle, 45 years old at the time, had carefully manipulated two families to gain their trust, with the ultimate goal of sexually abusing their young daughters.

At the time of his arrest, Coyle resided on Ross Close in Luton. He was found guilty by a jury in February of several serious charges, including sexual assault, indecent assault, and acts of indecency involving a four-year-old girl in 1991, as well as serious sexual assault and indecency on an eight-year-old girl in 2003.

Though Coyle initially denied the allegations, he later admitted to some offending behavior to probation officers.

Judge Michael Kay, QC, commented on this admission, suggesting it was possibly an attempt to present himself more favorably during sentencing. He stated, “It is plain you are a manipulative, dangerous paedophile. You appeared to be concerned and helpful to these families but you were interested in only one thing — abusing them in the most revolting way. You are assessed a very high risk of further offending and of harm to children. Your ability to infiltrate vulnerable families should not be underestimated.”

The judge sentenced Coyle to a discretionary life term, informing him that he would not be eligible for parole until serving at least nine years. Additionally, Coyle was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Prosecutor Beverley Cripps revealed that the first victim, who lived in Northampton, remembered Coyle babysitting her and vividly recalled three incidents of sexual abuse when she was four years old. In 2005, further allegations arose in Luton when another girl, whom Coyle also babysat at age eight, told police of multiple serious sexual assaults.

The court also noted that in May 2003, Coyle was arrested during the Operation Ore investigation. Authorities found he possessed 91 images depicting children engaged in sexual acts with adults, along with two images of pre-pubescent girls posing sexually.

In October 2004, Coyle received a three-month community rehabilitation order and was subjected to a sexual offences prevention order that limited his contact with children. However, by April 2005, probation services judged that the order was ineffective, leading to a five-month jail sentence.

Since then, police and probation officers have continued to monitor him.