STEVEN GILBERT FROM STAFFORD JAILBREAKS WITH HOAX CALLS TO POLICE

In October 2012, a disturbing case unfolded involving Steven Gilbert, a convicted sex offender from Stafford, who was found to have made a series of malicious and false phone calls to Staffordshire Police’s Crimestoppers service from within prison. The calls, which were entirely fabricated, led to police investigations into serious allegations of sexual abuse involving vulnerable individuals, including young children and an elderly woman.

Gilbert, who was incarcerated at Dovegate jail near Uttoxeter at the time, used the prison’s phone booth to make a total of eight hoax calls to Crimestoppers over a span of 11 days. These calls falsely claimed that a three-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy had been sexually assaulted, and that a 75-year-old woman had been raped. The false reports prompted police to act swiftly, leading to visits to the homes of innocent people in Stafford, including a mother who was left shocked and horrified when police arrived at her residence to investigate Gilbert’s unfounded allegations.

At the time of these calls in September of the previous year, Gilbert was serving a 10-year sentence for serious sexual offenses. He had been convicted in 2003 for indecently assaulting an 80-year-old woman and attempting to drag another woman into bushes, actions that marked him as a dangerous individual. Gilbert was released from prison on August 7 of that year after serving his full sentence, but his recent actions demonstrated a troubling pattern of behavior.

The case was brought before Stafford Crown Court, where Judge Michael Cullum sentenced Gilbert to an additional 16 months in prison. The judge described Gilbert as “a dangerous man” and emphasized the gravity of his actions, which involved pretending to be the abuser of a young child and falsely reporting the rape of an elderly woman. Despite having received extensive assistance during his time in custody, Gilbert’s decision to make these hoax calls was viewed as a serious breach of trust and public safety.

Prosecutor Pat Sullivan explained that the police were compelled to investigate each report, which all proved to be entirely false. Gilbert’s claims included the names and addresses of real individuals, causing unnecessary distress and concern among the victims and their families. One woman was described as “visibly concerned” about the false allegations, and there were genuine worries for the welfare of the elderly woman involved.

Defense attorney Joanne Clark stated that Gilbert had made these eight calls over a period of 11 days and then ceased. She highlighted that since his release in August, Gilbert had not committed any further offenses and had been engaged in charity work, specifically for Stafford Furniture Exchange. However, the court’s decision underscored the seriousness of his misconduct and the potential danger he posed to the community, leading to his re-imprisonment for a further 16 months.