RICHARD SHARROCK BUSTED IN BURSLEM FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In October 2010, Richard Sharrock, a man residing in Burslem, was sentenced to prison after a series of disturbing offences involving minors and child exploitation. The case revealed a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned over a year, culminating in his arrest and subsequent conviction at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Sharrock, aged 46 and married, was found guilty of offering two 13-year-old girls a sum of £100 to engage in sexual activities with him. The investigation uncovered that he had been sending sexually suggestive text messages to the teenagers over several weeks, beginning in June 2008 and continuing into July of the same year. Initially, his messages appeared to be innocent, suggesting he wanted the girls to walk his wife’s Jack Russell dog. However, the tone quickly shifted to more sinister and explicit content.

Prosecutor Philip Beadwell detailed that Sharrock, using the alias “Dave,” sent the girls dozens of messages, including a disturbing photograph of a naked male in a full-length mirror. He also propositioned the girls with money, promising to pay one of them £100 for “the most fun she’d ever have,” and explicitly expressed his desire to perform sexual acts on them. The messages grew increasingly threatening, with one girl receiving around 70 texts from him. The severity of his conduct prompted the girls’ families to report the matter to the police. Unfortunately, the police were unable to trace the phone number used at the time, and the case was temporarily shelved.

More than a year later, on August 9, 2009, a note was discovered near Roche House Farm Livery on Thorncliffe Road in Leek. The note explicitly requested the services of girls aged between seven and thirteen for sexual purposes, offering to pay £200 over the summer holidays. The note included a mobile phone number, which livery staff initially tested by sending text messages. Once they confirmed the note’s authenticity, they contacted the police, leading to Sharrock’s arrest. Investigations traced both phone numbers to his workplace, and a subsequent search of his home uncovered 44 indecent images of children on his computer. The images were classified as the lowest of five levels of severity.

During police interviews, Sharrock admitted to his guilt but claimed that he only committed these offences while intoxicated. His defense lawyer, Peter McCartney, highlighted that Sharrock had a difficult upbringing, which contributed to his social isolation. He also noted that Sharrock was married and that his wife remained supportive despite his actions. McCartney explained that Sharrock’s financial difficulties, stemming from a failed business venture, had led to increased alcohol consumption, which he claimed was a factor in his offending behavior. He emphasized that Sharrock recognized the wrongfulness of his actions when sober and had taken steps to address his drinking problem.

Judge James Orrell sentenced Sharrock to two years in prison for arranging or facilitating a child sex offence, with an additional 18 months to run concurrently for attempting to facilitate such an offence. He also received concurrent sentences for four counts of making indecent images of children. Furthermore, Sharrock was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.