SHOCKING CRIME: STEPHEN WATKINS OF TAMWORTH SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR CHILD RAPE AND INDECENT ASSAULTS

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Tamworth, Stephen Watkins, a 49-year-old man and manager of a local glass shop, has been convicted of a series of heinous sexual offenses involving two young girls. The crimes span over two decades, highlighting a disturbing pattern of abuse that has now culminated in a significant prison sentence.

Watkins was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court to a term of 15 years behind bars. The court found him guilty of multiple charges related to child sexual abuse, including indecent assault and rape, committed over different periods and against two separate young victims. The offences include an indecent assault on a female between January 1979 and September 1982, and a subsequent child rape between September 1982 and September 1983. Further charges involve indecent assault on another female between September 1999 and September 2002, as well as rape between September 2000 and September 2003. All these offences were committed against two different young girls, underscoring the severity and repeated nature of his crimes.

In addition to the prison sentence, Watkins was ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely, a measure that reflects the gravity of his offences and the potential risk he poses to the community. The case has brought to light the disturbing reality of child sexual abuse and the importance of justice for victims who have endured such trauma.

Earlier, in October 2011, Watkins appeared at Burton Magistrates’ Court facing a separate set of serious charges. He was accused of raping a girl under the age of 16, with the case subsequently being sent to Crown Court for trial. During that hearing, Watkins, then aged 47 and residing on Hill Top Avenue in Tamworth, did not enter a plea to the 11 charges brought against him. These charges included indecent assault on a girl under 14 between September 1977 and September 1979, and three counts of gross indecency with a girl under 14, alleged to have occurred between September 1979 and September 1982.

He also faced four counts of rape involving girls under 16, with incidents spanning from September 1982 to September 2003. Watkins did not plead to these charges either. His case was committed to Crown Court, where it is scheduled for further proceedings. He is expected to return to Burton Magistrates’ Court on October 14 for the next stage of legal proceedings, known as committal hearings, which will determine whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial in the Crown Court.

These cases have highlighted the ongoing issues surrounding child abuse and the importance of vigilant law enforcement and judicial processes to protect vulnerable victims and ensure justice is served.