Paedophile jailed for assaulting children in Preston

A man has been sentenced to over eight years in prison for sexually assaulting and grooming two children in Preston. Steven Westlake, who also went by the surname Clayton, engaged in these crimes, which included threatening the children. His arrest followed an investigation launched in February, during which he was charged with three counts of sexual assault and two breaches of his existing sexual harm prevention order (SHPO). Westlake, from Chorley Old Road, Bolton, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court. He was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison and received an indefinite SHPO. Lancashire Police's child protection team’s DC Chris Mills stated, “Despite their young age, Westlake’s victims have been incredibly brave throughout this process. With the support of the victims, Westlake’s crimes were brought to our attention, and we have been able to bring him to justice. Westlake assaulted children for his own, abhorrent sexual desires. He is a despicable man, and I welcome the custodial sentence handed down on him this week. If you have been a victim of any sexual offence, I would encourage you to come and talk to us. We will listen to you, we will carry out the appropriate investigation, and we will do all we can to get you justice.”