STEPHEN LYONS FROM MELKSHAM AND TELFORD SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Melksham and Telford, Stephen Lyons, aged 35, was convicted of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young girls. The court proceedings, held at Salisbury Crown Court, revealed the full extent of Lyons' disturbing actions, which spanned several years and involved multiple victims.

Lyons, who resided on Ruskin Avenue in Melksham and was employed as an engineer at a company based in Devizes, was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison after he pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault and gross indecency. Additionally, he faced charges related to the downloading of child pornography from the Internet and acts of cruelty towards a child. The court was informed that all of Lyons' victims were girls aged between four and eight years old, highlighting the severity and depravity of his crimes.

The prosecution, led by Neelo Shravat, outlined that Lyons' offending began in 1997 when he was living near Telford, Shropshire. During this period, Lyons had befriended a family in his neighborhood. The family’s four-year-old daughter frequently visited Lyons’ home to play with his own son. It was during these visits that Lyons committed his first known act of sexual assault against the young girl.

Judge Keith Cutler, presiding over the case, explained that Lyons had expressed fears during a pre-sentence report interview. Lyons admitted that he was worried the four-year-old girl might disclose his activities to her mother, which prompted him to shift his focus to a slightly older girl, a seven-year-old residing in the Devizes area. Lyons caused cruelty to this girl by forcing her to watch videos depicting sexual acts involving adults, and he subsequently indecently assaulted her. The girl later reported that Lyons had also performed oral sex on her on another occasion.

Concerned that this second girl might also reveal his misconduct, Lyons began grooming a third young girl—who was the daughter of a friend of his wife and suffered from mental health issues. Lyons committed acts of gross indecency in front of her on multiple occasions, further illustrating the extent of his predatory behavior.

When Lyons was arrested, he did not deny his involvement. During police interviews, he openly admitted to the charges. Authorities confiscated his home computer, discovering numerous images of young girls downloaded from the Internet, which further underscored the depravity of his actions. Lyons will be required to remain on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the community from further harm.