STEPHEN WALKER SENTENCED IN OXFORD FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In May 2011, a young girl’s life was profoundly affected by paedophile Stephen Walker, as her mother described the devastating impact. The mother said, “HE’S taken her innocence, it’s taken her childhood.” The primary school girl was exploited until she took the steps to reveal her ordeal by writing down what was happening on a paper plate and showing it to her mother. The woman, whose identity remains confidential, spoke out amid reports by the NSPCC that, on average, a child in England and Wales is sexually abused once every 20 minutes.

Walker, aged 22 and residing on Prunus Close in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, was convicted of seven charges related to inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison after a jury found him guilty. The trial took place last month, and Walker was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on the following Monday.

The girl’s mother expressed her frustration over the length of the sentence, saying, “no sentence is long enough for any parent.” She emphasized the enduring impact of Walker’s actions, stating, “He has taken her innocence. Even though he did not actually have sexual intercourse with her it’s still taking her childhood. She now needs counselling to think like a child again.”

Because Walker denied the charges, the girl was required to testify in court. Her mother remarked on Walker’s lack of remorse, praising her daughter’s bravery in giving evidence. “It has taken a whole year for this to be closed and we were in court for two weeks,” she said. “My daughter had to give evidence through a video link and her video interview was played in court and she had to watch it.”

Describing her daughter’s emotional state, the mother added, “She was absolutely petrified and I had to explain to her that she has helped the police to put a bad man away.” When the verdict was announced, her daughter reacted with relief, saying, “she just ran around saying she was free.” The mother expressed hope that with counselling, her daughter would eventually move past the trauma.

The mother revealed that her daughter had hesitated to tell anyone about her ordeal, choosing instead to write down what was happening. “She didn’t want me to cry, she didn’t want to see her mother upset. She was taking my feelings into account. It was horrific,” she said.

She praised the police for their swift response, especially highlighting Detective Sergeant Angela Murray, whom she described as “the most amazing woman in the world, like a guardian angel.” Detective Sergeant Murray praised the mother’s strength and courage, noting that her support was “100 per cent from the outset.” She commended the young girl's resilience, saying, “she did have to go through a trial process, but for a child of such a young age she showed quite remarkable courage.”

Murray expressed optimism that the verdict and subsequent sentence would help the victim and her family begin to heal: “I am really hopeful that after the whole trial process, the guilty verdict and then the custodial sentence that it gives a small amount of comfort and will help them to move on with their lives.”

As part of his punishment, Stephen Walker will be listed on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.