STEPHEN HARTLEY FROM WESTBURY SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF TEENAGER IN SWINDON

In a case that has shocked the local community, Stephen Hartley, a swimming coach from Westbury, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for engaging in a prolonged sexual relationship with a teenage girl. The incident came to light after a series of disturbing revelations during a court hearing at Swindon Crown Court.

Hartley, aged 48 and residing at Hawkeridge Park in Westbury, first encountered the girl when she was just 11 years old, having joined his swimming club. Over the years, their relationship escalated inappropriately, with the girl beginning to send him sexual text messages when she was 13. This marked the start of a clandestine relationship that lasted for approximately three years, during which Hartley engaged in multiple acts of indecency.

The court heard that Hartley, a married man and father of three, admitted to four counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency. Despite the girl being banned from the swimming club due to the inappropriate messages—one of which was seen by Hartley's own daughter—the coach chose to continue their secret meetings. Prosecutor Jane Warren detailed how the girl was the one initiating sexual activities, and Hartley himself admitted to becoming increasingly indifferent to the moral boundaries, stating, “We got more and more blasé about it and we got more blinded. Then I started to reciprocate.”

The relationship persisted until the girl turned 16, at which point they engaged in consensual sexual activity. Their affair continued until Hartley's arrest in September of the previous year. The disturbing nature of the case was further revealed when the girl confided in a church member during a counseling session, exposing the illicit relationship.

During the sentencing hearing, Hartley's defense lawyer, Graham Smith, argued that Hartley was aware of the wrongfulness of his actions but claimed he had fallen in love with the girl. The lawyer also highlighted the personal toll the scandal had taken on Hartley, including the loss of his job, reputation, trust of his family, and his marriage.

Judge Guy Boney, presiding over the case, expressed his condemnation of Hartley's actions, stating, “It’s a major tragedy to see a man like you standing in the dock in the Crown Court surrounded by the wreckage of your life.” As part of his sentence, Hartley was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was prohibited from working with children and young people in the future, reflecting the severity of his misconduct and the court’s stance on protecting vulnerable individuals.