CHRISTOPHER ADAMS ESCAPES JAIL IN STRETTON: FAMILY DEVASTATED BY SENTENCE IN STAFFORDSHIRE
| Red Rose Database
Stretton Child Sexual Abuser
In a recent court hearing at Stafford Crown Court, the family of a young girl with learning difficulties expressed profound disappointment and distress following the sentencing of Christopher Adams, a 71-year-old man from Hurst Drive, Stretton. Adams was convicted of serious sexual offenses involving the girl, with the crimes spanning a period of two years from December 2010 to December 2012, beginning when the victim was just 16 years old.
Despite admitting to three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a mentally disordered female during a previous hearing, Adams was not sentenced to immediate imprisonment. Instead, the judge opted to impose a three-year community order, requiring Adams to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years. This decision has left the victim’s family feeling devastated and betrayed by what they perceive as a lenient punishment.
The father of the victim, who has chosen to remain anonymous to protect his daughter’s identity, voiced his disillusionment with the court’s decision. He stated, “At the plea hearing, the judge told him to expect a substantial custodial sentence, so we as a family are really disappointed. We feel let down. We’ve suffered for the last 19 months and it’s torn us apart.” He further expressed a mixture of relief that justice was served in some form but emphasized the pain caused by the light sentence, saying, “I’m relieved it’s done now and I’m relieved he got convicted, but there’s no relief at the sentence.”
The father detailed how Adams exploited his daughter’s vulnerabilities, taking advantage of her learning difficulties and threatening her with harm if she disclosed the abuse. “He completely took advantage of her vulnerability, telling her she would be taken away if she told anyone,” he explained. The family’s anguish is compounded by the fact that the offenses occurred over a two-year period, starting when the girl was 16, highlighting the severity and duration of the abuse.
Expressing his anger and concern, the father said, “If it was up to me, he would be in prison for the rest of his life – he is a danger.” He also shared the emotional toll the ordeal has taken on his family, stating, “I’ve seen stories like this in the news before, but when it’s your own family, there’s nothing anyone can say or do to make you feel better. It has been horrendous. We’re scarred for life but we’ll just pull together as a family now.”
Staffordshire Women’s Aid chief executive, Dickie James, also voiced her disapproval of the sentence. She remarked, “A three-year community order is simply not good enough for someone that has abused their power in this way with someone so vulnerable. It’s absolutely disgraceful.” She emphasized the importance of encouraging victims to come forward and the need for a more robust response to such crimes, adding, “It’s hard for people to come forward to talk about sexual abuse. We have got to get a robust message out there that this will not be tolerated, but this does not convey that message.”
Despite admitting to three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a mentally disordered female during a previous hearing, Adams was not sentenced to immediate imprisonment. Instead, the judge opted to impose a three-year community order, requiring Adams to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years. This decision has left the victim’s family feeling devastated and betrayed by what they perceive as a lenient punishment.
The father of the victim, who has chosen to remain anonymous to protect his daughter’s identity, voiced his disillusionment with the court’s decision. He stated, “At the plea hearing, the judge told him to expect a substantial custodial sentence, so we as a family are really disappointed. We feel let down. We’ve suffered for the last 19 months and it’s torn us apart.” He further expressed a mixture of relief that justice was served in some form but emphasized the pain caused by the light sentence, saying, “I’m relieved it’s done now and I’m relieved he got convicted, but there’s no relief at the sentence.”
The father detailed how Adams exploited his daughter’s vulnerabilities, taking advantage of her learning difficulties and threatening her with harm if she disclosed the abuse. “He completely took advantage of her vulnerability, telling her she would be taken away if she told anyone,” he explained. The family’s anguish is compounded by the fact that the offenses occurred over a two-year period, starting when the girl was 16, highlighting the severity and duration of the abuse.
Expressing his anger and concern, the father said, “If it was up to me, he would be in prison for the rest of his life – he is a danger.” He also shared the emotional toll the ordeal has taken on his family, stating, “I’ve seen stories like this in the news before, but when it’s your own family, there’s nothing anyone can say or do to make you feel better. It has been horrendous. We’re scarred for life but we’ll just pull together as a family now.”
Staffordshire Women’s Aid chief executive, Dickie James, also voiced her disapproval of the sentence. She remarked, “A three-year community order is simply not good enough for someone that has abused their power in this way with someone so vulnerable. It’s absolutely disgraceful.” She emphasized the importance of encouraging victims to come forward and the need for a more robust response to such crimes, adding, “It’s hard for people to come forward to talk about sexual abuse. We have got to get a robust message out there that this will not be tolerated, but this does not convey that message.”