SERIAL SEX OFFENDER STEVEN STALLEY FROM FERGUSLIE FACES JUSTICE IN GLASGOW AND RENFREW

In March 2021, a disturbing case involving Steven Stalley, a known sex offender from Ferguslie, came to light after he was finally held accountable for a series of heinous crimes spanning over a decade. Stalley, aged 31, had previously managed to evade justice after an incident in which he was accused of raping a 14-year-old girl, an assault that left her with some of the most severe injuries a medical professional had ever encountered.

It was only this week that the High Court in Glasgow convicted Stalley of multiple serious offenses, including the rape of three women and the stalking of nine others, during an 11-year period from March 2007 to March 2018. The jury found him guilty of raping three victims and sexually assaulting another, as well as of stalking nine women whom he coerced into giving him their mobile phone numbers during brief encounters on buses or in public places across Renfrew, Paisley, and Glasgow.

During the trial, chilling details emerged about Stalley's violent and manipulative behavior. He was described as a dangerous individual who once threatened to slit a victim’s throat, throttled another woman, and told her she was going to die. In one particularly disturbing incident, he hid inside a woman’s home and raped her while she was asleep, after tying her dog to a radiator to prevent it from interrupting the assault.

Despite his actions, Stalley, who was pictured on Facebook wearing a “body off Baywatch, face off Crimewatch” T-shirt with the word “sleazeball” emblazoned across it, continued to deny all allegations in court. He even claimed that one of his supposed encounters was simply “a good night in with pizza.”

The court proceedings revealed that in May 2014, Stalley, then residing in Renfrew, was acquitted of raping a 14-year-old girl after giving evidence via video link at the High Court in Paisley. The girl testified that she had sex with Stalley at a flat in Paisley on June 1, 2012. She explained that the experience became too painful, prompting her to ask him to stop, but he refused and continued. Dr. Deborah Wardle, a medical consultant for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, examined her afterward and described her injuries as among the worst she had ever seen.

However, the jury cleared Stalley of the rape charge after being told that he believed the girl was 16 at the time. This decision did not end his criminal activities. Subsequently, Stalley attempted to groom another 14-year-old girl via Facebook. He persistently messaged her, complimenting her appearance and expressing sexual interest, despite her not responding positively. The police intervened, and a Risk of Sexual Harm Order was issued against him to prevent further contact with minors.

Judge Tom Hughes condemned Stalley for the distress caused to his victims, emphasizing that their lives had been turned upside down. The judge stated, “They had to block your number and change their lifestyles. They were genuinely living in fear. Women should not have to be subjected to this course of conduct. This type of behaviour will never be tolerated by the courts. The witnesses in this case had to relive a dark place in time when you occupied their lives.”

Stalley is scheduled for sentencing next month for his multiple offenses involving rape and stalking. His criminal history also includes a series of other convictions, including a six-month jail sentence in November 2018 for breaching a court order by deleting apps related to children’s chatrooms from his phone. This breach occurred after he was previously convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl and grooming another minor online.

In July 2017, Stalley, then living in the Glenburn area of Paisley, was sentenced for grooming a different 14-year-old girl online between January 3 and January 11 of that year. Although he admitted to the grooming, he was spared immediate imprisonment, instead receiving a Community Payback Order and being placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 30 months. The court also mandated participation in programs aimed at behavioral change.

Further back, in February 2017, Stalley, aged 27 and formerly residing in Ferguslie, was convicted of bombarding a 14-year-old girl with explicit messages. His sentence was deferred because he was already serving time for assault and robbery. The messages, which were widely circulated after being posted online, revealed his persistent attempts to contact the girl despite her clear protests.

Throughout these proceedings, Stalley’s actions have been met with strong judicial condemnation. Judge James Spy emphasized the importance of community safety and the need to protect minors from such predatory behavior. Stalley’s case underscores the ongoing challenge of addressing sexual offenses and grooming, especially involving repeat offenders from Ferguslie and surrounding areas.