STEVEN TWIGG FROM BRIDLINGTON AND NEWTON POPPLEFORD JAILED FOR SEVEN YEARS OVER CHILD ABUSE AND VOYEURISM

In a case that has shocked the communities of Bridlington and Newton Poppleford, Steven Twigg has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving the abuse of a young girl and voyeuristic activities. The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of sexual misconduct spanning over several decades, beginning when Twigg was a teenager in the late 1970s and continuing into the 2000s.

According to the evidence presented at York Crown Court, Twigg, now aged 44 and residing on South Marine Drive in Bridlington, subjected a vulnerable five-year-old girl from the Selby area to prolonged sexual abuse. The victim, who was abandoned by her mother and had lost her father, endured these assaults for a period of seven years. The abuse reportedly started when she was just five years old and was carried out by Twigg, who was in his mid-teens at the time.

The court heard that the young girl was sometimes cared for by Twigg’s family after her mother left her to marry another man. The trauma inflicted by Twigg’s actions had devastating effects on her mental health. Prosecutor Geraldine Kelly detailed that since the abuse ceased, the girl has undergone ten years of counseling and seven years of psychotherapy. The psychological scars included flashbacks, nightmares, self-harm, and multiple suicide attempts, illustrating the profound and lasting damage caused by Twigg’s predatory behavior.

Judge Shaun Spencer QC described the victim as extremely vulnerable, emphasizing the severity of the harm inflicted. He stated, “She has been seriously damaged by this,” and highlighted the extensive psychological treatment she had undergone. Twigg was convicted on seven counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child, after a five-day trial. The jury acquitted him on one charge of indecent assault following the judge’s direction and could not reach a verdict on another charge.

In addition to the child abuse convictions, Twigg was already serving a 15-month sentence at Exeter Crown Court for voyeurism. During that earlier case, he was found guilty of secretly filming a 12-year-old girl while she was in her bathroom. The footage was captured using a small robotic camera that Twigg had hidden in the girl’s bathroom, which he claimed was part of a model he was building. The police discovered the camera after the girl’s mother caught Twigg watching the live feed from the garden shed.

The court heard that Twigg had a history of sexual offenses, including the possession of pornographic material featuring women dressed as schoolgirls and nude images, including one of a 16-year-old girl. His criminal activities spanned many years, with the voyeurism incident occurring in Newton Poppleford, where he was living at the time. He later moved to Bridlington.

As part of his sentencing, Twigg was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely and was banned from working with children for life. He was also issued a sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from residing in the same house as any child under 16 without social services or parental approval. Furthermore, he is barred from possessing any photographic or recording devices capable of capturing images, including mobile phones.

Steven Twigg’s actions have left a lasting scar on his victims and have significantly impacted his own life and career. His convictions serve as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding vulnerable children and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to bring offenders to justice.