STEVE HURLEY FROM NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG SCHOOLGIRL IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, Steven Hurley, a 36-year-old man from Newcastle-under-Lyme, was convicted of sexually abusing a young girl who was under the age of 13. The incident, which took place in Stoke-on-Trent, was brought to light during a court hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where Hurley's actions and the subsequent evidence against him were thoroughly examined.

According to court reports, Hurley had groomed his young victim over a period of time before engaging in multiple sexual assaults. The court heard that Hurley's attraction to the girl was physical, and his abuse escalated from initial acts of kissing to more invasive touching beneath her clothing. The victim, who was vulnerable and under 13, was subjected to a series of manipulative and abusive behaviors by Hurley.

Further details revealed that Hurley maintained contact with the girl through text messages, in which he expressed his desire to run away with her once she turned 16. In these messages, he explicitly stated his wish for her to come and live with him and conveyed his intent to have a sexual relationship with her. Hurley also showed the girl a photograph of his genitals on his phone and handed her letters that clearly indicated his sexual intentions towards her.

The court was informed that initially, the girl was somewhat flattered by the attention from Hurley, but her feelings soon turned to fear as the situation progressed. She wrote several letters to Hurley, which he kept as evidence of their correspondence. When police confronted Hurley with the evidence, he initially denied writing many of the letters during his police interview. However, a handwriting expert later confirmed that Hurley was indeed responsible for all the letters.

Hurley, who resides on London Road in Newcastle-under-Lyme, faced six charges of engaging in sexual activity with a child under 13. Despite his denial, a jury at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court found him guilty of all charges last month. Throughout the proceedings, Hurley's defense argued that he had faced numerous personal difficulties and suggested that his mental age was significantly lower than his actual age, which was 36. His legal representative, Joanne Wallbanks, requested that the judge consider the possibility of a community-based treatment program as part of a suspended sentence, citing Hurley's mental health issues and his claims of innocence.

Nevertheless, the judge, Mr. Justice Paul Glenn, sentenced Hurley to three and a half years in prison. In addition to his custodial sentence, Hurley was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was subjected to a 10-year sexual offences prevention order. This order includes restrictions such as prohibiting him from being in the company of, or seeking the company of, any person under the age of 16.

During the sentencing, Judge Glenn addressed Hurley directly, stating, “You were physically attracted to that child. Your victim has a number of learning difficulties. Your own intellectual functioning is low, in the lowest seven per cent of the population. Your victim was vulnerable. You groomed and repeatedly assaulted her.”

Hurley is expected to serve up to half of his sentence in custody, with the remainder on license, under strict supervision and conditions designed to prevent further offenses. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent, highlighting the importance of vigilance and safeguarding vulnerable children from predators.