STEPHEN DENISON AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN NEWCASTLE
In a disturbing act of indecency in Newcastle, Stephen Denison, a man with a troubling past, attempted to carry out a predatory act in front of a church congregation in Fenham.The incident took place one day in May this year, when Denison, aged 50, targeted a woman and her young daughter who were sitting peacefully inside the church.
Denison, who has previously been convicted on two counts of sexual assault, including a notorious incident where he groped a teenage schoolgirl at Eldon Square bus station, was identified as the perpetrator during this latest encounter.
The victim and her child had no prior knowledge of Denison before this event.
According to court reports, he approached them and initially hugged the woman, then proceeded to engage her in conversation.
During this interaction, Denison atrociously offered her daughter a coin, seemingly trying to establish some form of contact.
The court was told that the situation escalated when Denison, without warning, put his arm around her back and aggressively attempted to pull her closer in an apparent effort to kiss her.
The terrified woman responded immediately by pushing Denison away in an effort to resist his advances.
Fortunately, members of the public, who had witnessed the disturbing scene, intervened and helped to prevent further harm.
Following the incident, the victim was left visibly shaken, suffering from heart palpitations and nausea, which she managed with medication.
She also stated that she felt unable to return to the church after that traumatic experience.
Denison was swiftly arrested and charged with one count of sexual assault.
However, he initially failed to attend a subsequent hearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, prompting authorities to issue a warrant for his arrest.
It wasn't until last month that he was finally captured and brought before the court to face justice.
During the hearing, Denison entered a guilty plea to the charges.
Prosecutor Gurjot Kaur relayed that the woman, who did not know Denison prior to the incident, was seated with her daughter at the church when Denison approached them and initiated the troubling encounter.
She explained, “The defendant initially hugged her.
He kept trying to talk to her and offered her daughter a coin.
The defendant then put his arm around her back and made an attempt to forcibly pull her towards him to try and kiss her.
She pushed him away.” The court also heard about Denison’s extensive criminal record, which includes a total of 46 offences.
His past convictions include two sexual assault cases, one in 2016 and another in 2021.
The 2021 incident involved groping a teenage schoolgirl at Eldon Square bus station, for which Denison was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.
The victim in this recent case described her ongoing distress, revealing that she has had to take anti-nausea medication after the incident and has been so frightened that she has avoided returning to the church.
Defence solicitor Andy O'Hanlon argued that Denison was “not bad to the bone” but rather “undiagnosed,” with limited understanding of his actions.
He emphasized that Denison had not yet addressed his behavioral issues while in custody and called for ongoing support rather than solely punitive measures.
Mr.
O'Hanlon said, “Probation want to keep working with him on an intensive basis.
Doing something to stop him drinking so heavily would be a good start.
You can lock him up for a short time but it won't address anything.
Probation want to put a great deal of work into him.
Until that's done, he will just wander around being a pain.” The magistrates sentenced Denison to 20 weeks in jail and ordered him to register as a sex offender for a period of seven years.
The court’s rulings reflect the severity of his actions and the ongoing concern over his past and potential threats to public safety in Newcastle and the Fenham community.
