STEPHEN SANDERSON BISHOP AUCKLAND GRAVEYARD RAPIST SENTENCED TO 13.5 YEARS IN PRISON
| Red Rose Database
Bishop Auckland Rapist
In a case that has shocked the community of Bishop Auckland, a man named Stephen Sanderson was convicted of a heinous sexual assault that took place near a local cemetery. The incident occurred in October 2018, when Sanderson targeted a 16-year-old girl walking alone along a footpath that runs between Bishop Auckland Town Cemetery, located off South Church Road, and Brack’s Farm. The attack was characterized by extreme violence and premeditation, leaving lasting scars on the victim and prompting a severe judicial response.
Sanderson, aged 28 and residing on Wesley Street in Coundon Grange, was found guilty of raping the young girl after approaching her from behind. Prosecutor Shaun Dodds detailed how Sanderson brandished a knife, handcuffed the teenager, and confiscated her mobile phone. He then forcibly marched her up a steep incline into a wooded area, where he committed the assault. Following the attack, Sanderson removed the handcuffs and fled the scene in the opposite direction, shortly after 8 pm on Saturday, October 20.
The judge presiding over the case at Durham Crown Court, Judge Christopher Prince, sentenced Sanderson to 13 years and six months in prison. During the sentencing, Judge Prince emphasized the ongoing danger Sanderson posed to the public, stating, “I consider there is a significant risk of serious harm being occasioned by the defendant. I do not consider that a determinate sentence would provide adequate public protection in this instance.”
The court heard that the attack inflicted profound psychological trauma on the victim, who is now 17. In her victim impact statement, she described her ongoing struggles, saying, “Immediately after the attack I physically could not bring myself to leave the house and when I did, it was only with my mum. And even then I was always thinking the person responsible could be anyone.” She revealed that she now avoids walking on leaves, as they remind her of the woods where the assault occurred, and she jumps at the sound of joggers.
Her mother also spoke about the lasting effects of the incident, describing her daughter as changed and visibly distressed. She recounted a distressing episode in January when her daughter took a knife from the kitchen, locked herself in the bathroom, and inflicted cuts on her forearms up to 20 times. Although she did not require medical treatment, her mother said her daughter was crying and expressing feelings of hopelessness, saying she wanted to end her life and could no longer cope.
As part of his sentence, Sanderson will serve two-thirds of his term before being eligible for parole. Upon release, he will be subject to an eight-year extended licence period. Additionally, he has been issued a restraining order preventing him from entering County Durham or contacting the victim or her family. He is also subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for life, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
Sanderson, aged 28 and residing on Wesley Street in Coundon Grange, was found guilty of raping the young girl after approaching her from behind. Prosecutor Shaun Dodds detailed how Sanderson brandished a knife, handcuffed the teenager, and confiscated her mobile phone. He then forcibly marched her up a steep incline into a wooded area, where he committed the assault. Following the attack, Sanderson removed the handcuffs and fled the scene in the opposite direction, shortly after 8 pm on Saturday, October 20.
The judge presiding over the case at Durham Crown Court, Judge Christopher Prince, sentenced Sanderson to 13 years and six months in prison. During the sentencing, Judge Prince emphasized the ongoing danger Sanderson posed to the public, stating, “I consider there is a significant risk of serious harm being occasioned by the defendant. I do not consider that a determinate sentence would provide adequate public protection in this instance.”
The court heard that the attack inflicted profound psychological trauma on the victim, who is now 17. In her victim impact statement, she described her ongoing struggles, saying, “Immediately after the attack I physically could not bring myself to leave the house and when I did, it was only with my mum. And even then I was always thinking the person responsible could be anyone.” She revealed that she now avoids walking on leaves, as they remind her of the woods where the assault occurred, and she jumps at the sound of joggers.
Her mother also spoke about the lasting effects of the incident, describing her daughter as changed and visibly distressed. She recounted a distressing episode in January when her daughter took a knife from the kitchen, locked herself in the bathroom, and inflicted cuts on her forearms up to 20 times. Although she did not require medical treatment, her mother said her daughter was crying and expressing feelings of hopelessness, saying she wanted to end her life and could no longer cope.
As part of his sentence, Sanderson will serve two-thirds of his term before being eligible for parole. Upon release, he will be subject to an eight-year extended licence period. Additionally, he has been issued a restraining order preventing him from entering County Durham or contacting the victim or her family. He is also subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for life, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.