BRIGHTON PAEDOPHILE STEPHEN MARSH SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS FOR ABUSING GIRLS OVER 21 YEARS

In a significant case that has shocked the community of Brighton, Stephen Marsh, a 54-year-old man residing on Firle Road, has been sentenced to a prison term of nine years after being convicted of a series of heinous crimes involving the grooming and sexual abuse of young girls spanning more than two decades.

Marsh's criminal activities included targeting girls as young as 10 years old, gradually escalating his abuse as they entered their teenage years. His method of luring children into his home was particularly disturbing; he exploited his collection of exotic animals, including tortoises and snakes, to entice and manipulate his young victims. This tactic was part of his broader strategy to gain their trust and facilitate his criminal acts.

The court proceedings revealed that Marsh was found guilty at Lewes Crown Court on multiple charges, including indecent assault, possession of indecent images of children, and voyeurism. Prior to the sentencing, Marsh had pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing extreme pornography involving animals during an earlier hearing in June. These revelations underscored the extent of his depravity and the premeditated nature of his offenses.

Evidence presented during the trial detailed how Marsh covertly recorded his victims within their own homes, capturing images and videos without their knowledge. His position as a doorman at various city nightclubs provided him with opportunities to befriend young girls, often through casual interactions that allowed him to gain their trust. This access was further exploited by Marsh, who also befriended the families of his victims, thereby securing unsupervised access to the children under the guise of friendship and familiarity.

Det Sgt Linda Bond, a representative of the Brighton Child Protection Team, emphasized the manipulative tactics employed by Marsh. She stated, “For over 20 years, Marsh abused an image of trust to commit his abhorrent crimes, luring children into his home through offering to let them see and be photographed with his snakes and tortoises.”

She further expressed her appreciation for the bravery of the victims, saying, “It is thanks to the immeasurable courage of the victims who came forward and bravely spoke about their ordeal that justice has now been done.”

Det Sgt Bond concluded with a stark warning, “I have no doubt in my mind Marsh would have continued to abuse young girls, and it is thanks to the victims’ bravery that he will no longer pose a threat to others.” The case serves as a grim reminder of the importance of vigilance and the courage of victims in bringing such offenders to justice.