STEPHEN FOTHERGILL FROM WAKEFIELD SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR CHILD ABUSE

In a significant legal development, Stephen Fothergill, aged 53 and hailing from Wakefield, was formally returned to incarceration in April 2011 after a court found him guilty of abusing a 12-year-old girl. This conviction was not isolated; it followed a prior conviction from the 1980s, during which Fothergill was found to have abused ten children. The court proceedings revealed that after his earlier release, Fothergill continued to target vulnerable young victims, with new offences taking place at his residence in Wakefield.

Throughout the trial, Fothergill maintained a stance of denial regarding his past crimes, refusing to acknowledge the severity or reality of his actions. The judge overseeing the case expressed grave concern about the ongoing danger Fothergill posed to young girls, citing his history and recent offences as evidence of a continued risk to the community.

As a result of the conviction, Fothergill was sentenced to a term of eight years in prison. Additionally, the court imposed an extended license period, ensuring close monitoring of his activities upon release. The judge also mandated that Fothergill sign the sex offenders register for the remainder of his life, underscoring the serious nature of his crimes and the potential threat he poses to society.