COLIN STEVENSON SENTENCED IN HEMSWORTH FOR CHILLING CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In December 2012, a man from Hemsworth named Colin Stevenson was sentenced to over five years in prison following a series of disturbing criminal activities involving minors and illegal images. The court heard that Stevenson, aged 44, had committed multiple serious offenses, including sexually assaulting two young girls and possessing a large collection of indecent images of children.

Stevenson’s crimes were brought to light during a trial held at Leeds Crown Court, where he was found guilty on several counts. These included three charges of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13, compelling one of his victims to watch a sexual act, and possessing a total of 771 illegal images of children. Among these images, 74 were classified as level four, and two were categorized as level five, indicating the most severe types of child exploitation material.

The court was informed that the sexual assaults involved Stevenson kissing two young victims and coercing a girl to view a pornographic film. The victims, who had to testify in court, endured significant emotional distress as they recounted their experiences. The prosecutor, Gerald Hendron, emphasized that the case demonstrated Stevenson’s progression from an unhealthy interest in children to more overtly abusive behavior, suggesting grooming tactics may have been involved.

The mother of one of the victims revealed that she discovered Stevenson’s misconduct after overhearing a conversation between her daughter and a friend. Her shock and concern were palpable as she described her reaction, stating, “I was just so shocked. She was only young.”

Throughout the trial, Stevenson’s defense, represented by Rebecca Young, maintained that he continued to deny all allegations. She highlighted that her client had lost his good character and liberty, and expressed concern about his future, noting that he might be forced to leave Hemsworth due to the ongoing vandalism, abuse, and burglaries he had suffered over the past two years. Young added that upon release, Stevenson would only have the clothes he was wearing.

Judge Sally Cahill QC sentenced Stevenson to five years and three months in prison. In her remarks, she pointed out that Stevenson had refused to admit guilt, despite the overwhelming evidence against him. She described his behavior as “chilling” and underscored the severity of his crimes, which had caused significant harm to his victims and the community of Hemsworth.